Cosmetogynecological Surgery With Local Anesthesia: Preliminary Experience

Abstract

Introduction: Although cosmetic gynecological procedures have been reported since antiquity, recent expansion made the cosmetogynecology becomes a recognized subspecialty. Presently, minimally invasive surgeries allow some of them to be performed under local anesthesia (LA). We present our preliminary experience using LA, highlighting safety and advantages. Methods: A total of 246 surgeries under local anesthesia on 185 median age patients, 39 years old (range: 14-80) between July 2020 and July 2021 in a Chilean aesthetic gynecology center, were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The most common surgery was Labiaplasty Type I, covering 40% (n = 99). Twenty percent of all patients (n = 38) underwent multiple surgeries in one surgical act. Minor complications were observed in 8% (n = 20) of surgeries, with satisfactory resolutions, without complications inherent to the use of LA or vasoconstrictors. Patients reported high degree of satisfaction, even in cases followed by labiaplasty repair or minor complication. Labiaplasty-related costs were considerably reduced compared with usual anesthetic procedure in more complex centers. Conclusion: This is the first South American report of various aesthetic genital procedures carried out under local anesthesia. In our experience, local anesthesia provided safe and effective results.