Venous thromboembolism after facelift surgery under local anesthesia: results of a multicenter survey

Investigation of Abdominoplasty Without General Anesthesia: A Scoping Review

Introduction: Abdominoplasty is a common aesthetic surgical procedure primarily performed under general anesthesia (GA). However, GA is aerosol-generating and involves extended immobilization associated with systemic complications like venous thromboembolisms (VTEs). There is increasing interest in performing abdominoplasties without GA because of potential lower complication rates and shorter postoperative recovery time. This review sought to summarize all available literature on the safety and outcomes of abdominoplasty performed without GA. Methods: A scoping review was conducted with no date limits in October 2023 encompassing Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL. The type of anesthesia was separated into 3 categories: conscious or intravenous (IV) sedation, regional anesthetic blocks (RAB: spinal and epidural), and local anesthesia (direct local infiltration and field blocks). Results: A total of 28 studies were included. Safety data was reported for abdominoplasty alone (n = 6), with liposuction (n = 14), or both (n = 1). The employed anesthesia methods were IV and local (n = 13), RAB and local (n = 3), IV and RAB (n = 2), IV and RAB and local (n = 2), and IV only (n = 1). A total of 48 379 patients were identified, with 30 cases of VTEs reported. Two studies reported GA conversion rates between 4.8% and 6.0%. A total of 11 studies assessed abdominoplasty outcomes, highlighting high patient satisfaction and low postoperative pain. The majority of analyzed studies had a "high" or "critical" risk of bias. Conclusion: Our review provides preliminary evidence that performing abdominoplasty without GA is safe and feasible. Additional high-quality studies are necessary to further validate our findings and to develop a standardized approach.

Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Aesthetic Surgery: A Survey of Plastic Surgeons' Practices

BACKGROUND

Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, collectively known as venous thromboembolism (VTE), are among the most feared yet preventable surgical complications. Although many recommendations exist to reduce the risk of VTE, the actual VTE prophylaxis practices of aesthetic plastic surgeons remain unknown.

OBJECTIVES

The primary aim of this study was to elucidate plastic surgeons' experiences with VTE, preferred VTE prophylaxis practices, and areas in which VTE prevention may be improved.

METHODS

Members of The Aesthetic Society were queried via a 55-question electronic survey regarding their experience with VTE as well as their VTE prophylaxis practices. Anonymous responses were collected and analyzed by the Mayo Clinic Survey Research Center.

RESULTS

The survey was sent to 1729 of The Aesthetic Society members, of whom 286 responded. Fifty percent, 38%, and 6% of respondents reported having had a patient develop a deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, or death secondary to VTE, respectively. Procedures performed on the back or trunk were associated with the highest rate of VTE. Lower extremity procedures were associated with a significantly higher rate of VTE than expected. Over 90% of respondents reported utilizing a patient risk stratification assessment tool. Although at least one-half of respondents reported that the surgical facility in which they operate maintains some form of VTE prophylaxis protocol, 39% self-reported nonadherence with these protocols.

CONCLUSIONS

Considerable variability exists in VTE prophylaxis practices among The Aesthetic Society responders. Future efforts should simplify guidelines and tailor prophylaxis recommendations to the aesthetic surgery population. Furthermore, education of plastic surgeons performing aesthetic surgery and more diligent surgical venue supervision is needed to narrow the gap between current recommendations and actual practices.

Venous thromboembolism in plastic surgery: the current state of evidence in risk assessment and chemoprophylactic options

The application of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis has been the topic of intense debate in plastic surgery. The overall incidence of VTE is low in plastic surgery patients as compared to other surgical subspecialties but may be higher in the inpatient rather than outpatient plastic surgery populations. The Caprini Risk Assessment Model is the most highly studied and validated tool to assess VTE risk in plastic surgery patients. However, the Caprini model lacks procedure-specific risk assessment and patient-specific risk factor calculations. Due to these limitations, such as the low incidence and the heterogeneous nature of the specialty, trials lacked the power to capture proof of benefit, except in the highest-risk inpatient population. The emerging use of aspirin and novel oral anticoagulants may provide an alternative, as noninferiority in terms of efficacy and safety has been demonstrated in other fields. In this review, the authors intend to summarize the current state of evidence for prevention and explore the modalities available for prophylaxis, including novel oral anticoagulants.

Venous Thromboembolism in Aesthetic Surgery: Risk Optimization in the Preoperative, Intraoperative, and Postoperative Settings

The purpose of this Continuing Medical Education (CME) article is to provide a framework for practicing surgeons to conceptualize and quantify venous thromboembolism risk among the aesthetic and ambulatory surgery population. The article provides a practical approach to identify and minimize venous thromboembolism risk in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings.