Plastic Surgeon Questions ‘Awake Surgery’ Using Local Anesthesia

Terrence P. Murphy, MD, a cosmetic surgeon in Denver, is questioning some cosmetic surgeons’ use of “awake surgery,” involving high doses of local anesthesia without sedation, according to a release by Murphy Plastic Surgery.

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While physicians using the “awake” technique claim it is safer than traditional deep anesthesia, most patients prefer the option of sedation, Dr. Murphy said.

Dr. Murphy prefers to keep patients safe and “keep the grueling details of the surgery out of the patient’s memory,” according to the release. He contends that local anesthesia makes patients safer and more comfortable.

Read the Murphy Plastic Surgery release on anesthesia.

Related Articles on Local Anesthesia:

6 Things to Know About Local Anesthesia with IV Sedation During Spine Surgery

7 Key Elements For Achieving High Patient Satisfaction and Better Outcomes in Orthopedic and Spine Surgery
Study: Anesthesia Event Reporting System Increased Events Captured Almost Two-Fold

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