Is local anesthesia an option for a genioplasty procedure? i'm concerned about the level of anesthesia required for chin reduction. in the past i have had fairly adverse reactions when being put under general anesthesia and prefer local anesthesia wheneve

Local : Local anesthesia with sedation is an option, though the majority patients require general anesthesia for genioplasty. It is difficult to get all of the bony and soft tissue structures in the chin numbed adequetly with local anesthetics. Often, some level of sedation can overcome this difficulty and keep you comfortable during the procedure, but for more involved procedures (like reductions) would require a fairly deep level of sedation which falls more on the spectrum of general anesthesia. Your anesthesiologist will want to know your medical history and previous experience with anesthesia. If your past trouble has been related to side effects such as nausea, the anesthesia can be tailored accordingly to reduce that risk. Certainly, minimizing the amount of narcotic pain medicine that you recieve during and after the surgery would reduce that risk. If you have had more severe or life-threatening reactions to anesthesia, these details would need to be discussed with your anesthesia provider whether you pursue local or general anesthesia.

Anesthesia: While i suggest talking with your surgeon about anesthetic options i very much doubt someone would remove bone from your face under local anesthesia. Anesthesia has risks yet you cannot have certain things done to you awake. Best of luck!

Consider sedation: Local anesthesia can be used for a genioplasty procedure. However, the addition of a light sedative would make the procedure more pleasurable. A full general anesthetic would not be the first line choice for this procedure. I would consider talking to an anesthesiologist about your past problems so that if you have to have anesthesia in the future a plan can be worked out.

Chin surgery: I personally perform sliding genioplasty for reduction. Shaving is not a good option in my opinion. I prefer the patient to have general anesthesia, so I can concentrate and have the procedure done quicker, safer, better.