Comparison of Patient Satisfaction and Complications of Rhinoplasty between Local and General Anesthesia / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since rhinoplasty techniques require meticulous and delicate manipulation, proper anesthesia is essential. The aim of the current study is to compare patient satisfaction and complication of rhinoplasty performed under local anesthesia against general anesthesia. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Patients who underwent rhinoplasty by a single surgeon between March 2014 and January 2017 were enrolled in this study. Midazolam was utilized to sedate the patient during local anesthesia. Pain and memory of surgery under local anesthesia, satisfaction of anesthesia, and willingness to undergo the surgery with the same anesthesia method again were evaluated. Cardiopulmonary events, nausea, and vomiting were assessed as complications. Aesthetic satisfaction of patients and the doctor was evaluated 6 month after the surgery. The parameters were compared between local and general anesthesia. RESULTS: A total 120 patients were included in this study. The degree of pain was low during surgery under local anesthesia. Although most of patients remembered the process of surgery during local anesthesia, satisfaction of local anesthesia was high. The satisfaction of anesthesia and willingness to undergo surgery with same anesthesia were not signifcantly different between local and general anesthesia. No serious complications developed during local anesthesia and there were no signifcant differences of aesthetic satisfaction between local and general anesthesia. CONCLUSION: Patient satisfaction and aesthetic results of rhinoplasty performed under local anesthesia were comparable to general anesthesia, indicating that surgeons do not need to be afraid of applying local anesthesia in rhinoplasty.