Question:
I am 19 years old and would like to have an otoplasty. Would I be given local anesthesia for the procedure or just sedation?
Answer:
Actually this is a very good question since we allow patients in the teenage years to either have straight local anesthesia or sedation and local anesthesia. Most patients prefer sedation it takes approximately two hours to do the procedure and it is a little too much for most patients to remain uncomfortable for that long. However, we have had a number of patients over the years that are motivated and do extremely well with local anesthesia only.
About the Author: Dr. Edwin Williams
Dr. Edwin Williams is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who founded The Williams Center in 1993. He has performed over 10,000 facial plastic surgery procedures and has pioneered the deep plane facelift. He served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery for over a decade, and served as President from 2015-2016. In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Dr. Williams earned the Castle Connelly Top Doctors award in New York Facial Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Edwin F. Williams III attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982. He began medical school at the State University of Buffalo School of Medicine and received his Doctor of Medicine in 1986.
Dr. Williams is actively involved in teaching facial plastic and reconstruction surgery to the residents of the Albany Medical Center and is former Chief of the Section of Facial and Plastic Reconstruction Surgery at Albany Medical Center where he received an academic appointment of Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery.