The benefits of Total Intravenous anaesthesia for cosmetic surgery

Total intravenous anaesthesia (otherwise known as TIVA) is a new form of anaesthesia which due to its benefits over traditional general anaesthesia is becoming an increasing popular choice for individuals considering having cosmetic surgery.

Total intravenous anaesthesia has been noted to produce a considerably lower rate of unpleasant side effects in comparison to general anaesthesia in patients having small to medium sized plastic surgery operations. The main benefits of TIVA for cosmetic surgery patients are highlighted below:

• TIVA when administered by a qualified anaesthetist causes an individual to fall calmly into a deep sleep. The patient has no memory of the procedure on awakening and does not experience any pain or discomfort during the procedure. Due to its gentler effect on the body there is no requirement for ventilators or breathing tubes.

• TIVA causes a minimal lowering of breathing rate and heart rate in comparison to traditional general anaesthetic.

• Recovery time post TIVA has been noted to be considerably lower in comparison to general anaesthesia. Patients generally awaken more quickly after TIVA and are hence able to resume normal activities at a faster rate post cosmetic surgery.

  TIVA has been used extensively to perform a number of different types of cosmetic surgery procedures including breast augmentation (breast implants), liposuction, facial surgery, rhinoplasty, breast lift and breast reduction surgery.

Despite its clear benefits for small to medium sized cosmetic surgery procedures it should be noted that more extensive traditional general anaesthesia is still the preferred choice for larger types of plastic surgery. If you are interested in TIVA you should discuss it with your cosmetic surgeon and anaesthetist who should be able to advice you as to whether it is a viable option based on your general health and type of cosmetic surgery procedure you are thinking about having.