Hypnotic Anesthesia for Blepharoplasty Surgery: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Blepharoplasty, which is performed for either functional or cosmetic purposes, is one of the most common surgeries around the world. This procedure can be performed under either local or general anesthesia. It depends on the surgical indication, patient’s demand, surgeon’s plan, and need for auxiliary operations. It has been proved that both local and general anesthesia have different complications. Hypnosis is a skill by which hypnotherapists can make changes in perceptual experience and can be used instead of anesthetic drugs on some occasions. The present study was conducted to survey the effectiveness of hypnosis used as an alternative to anesthesia procedures. Case Presentation: A 54-year-old woman was scheduled for bilateral upper lid cosmetic blepharoplasty. Hypnotic anesthesia was conducted owing to her fear of anesthesia and drug-related side effects. Hypnotic anesthesia was accomplished by a hypnotherapist who was an anesthesiologist, and the operation was done without any surgical complications. Conclusions: Hypnosis may be a good alternative to local anesthesia and lead to a reduction in analgesics consumption.