Reducing Risk for Perioperative Anesthesia Complications

Aging patients and outpatient settings add complexity to the anesthetic management of facial plastic surgery, which emphasizes a quiet surgical field and smooth perioperative journey, absent rocky emergence phenomena, postoperative nausea and vomiting, prolonged post-anesthesia care unit stays, or last-minute hospital admissions. Monitored anesthesia care can be ideal with proper patient selection and a conscientious provider, although overlooking potential risks has led to catastrophic consequences, including burns, hypoxic brain injury, and death. Inherently isolated, emergency preparedness is more crucial in outpatient settings, and includes emergency training and protocol availability along with the appropriate stock of emergency equipment and medication, including dantrolene and lipid emulsion.