'Cosmetic Surgery Anesthesia' Translated for Brazilian Professionals

Barry L. Friedberg, MD is a world-renown anesthesiologist based in Corona Del Mar, California, and recently published the textbook “Anesthesia in Cosmetic Surgery” to educate other professionals on the basic procedures and protocol for using anesthesia when performing various procedures.

The book has become an essential resource for all cosmetic surgeons, anesthesiologists and plastic surgery teams in the United States, and is now being translated into Portuguese so that it can be used by doctors in Brazil.

Brazil continues to be the world’s ‘mecca’ for plastic and cosmetic surgery. The translation of the book will allow doctors to learn and apply several important practices when administering anesthesia before surgery, and ensure a better outcome of the procedure overall.

Dr. Friedberg’s book is the first of its kind to define the different levels of anesthesia using a numerical indexing system, and is also the first book to define and describe the use of ketamine, a pre-emptive analgesic in extensive detail.

The book focuses heavily on the doctor’s breakthrough technique called propofel ketamine (PK) anesthesia.  This technique involves the administration of a sleep drug that contains a high concentration of antioxidants. This drug does not trigger postoperative nausea and vomiting that most patients who receive conventional anesthesia experience.

Dr. Friedberg is a pioneer in the field of PK anesthesia, and encourages doctors to consider using this powerful alternative for their procedures. He also encourages surgeons to use a brain activity monitor so they know exactly when to inject local anesthesia; this reduces the risk that the patient will ever experience pain during, or immediately after the surgery is complete. However, it is important to note that the American Society of Anesthesiologists does not encourage the use of brain activity monitoring.

There are several risks associated with the administration of anesthesia, but PK anesthesia may give the doctor more control over the effects of the drugs on the brain, thereby reducing the risks of brain damage and other problems. Dr. Friedberg’s book discusses all of these issues in great detail, and now surgeons in Brazil will be able to apply his techniques in their plastic and cosmetic surgery procedure protocol.