Wide-Awake Brachioplasty: A Safe and Effective Technique for Local Anesthesia

Brachioplasty is a popular body contouring surgery which treats upper arm deformity related to both aging and massive weight loss. Demand for brachioplasty is growing, as the volume of bariatric surgery performed in the United States has doubled in the last decade.1 Local anesthesia offers multiple benefits for both patients and providers: it avoids anesthetic risks and anesthesia costs, decreases operating room time, and facilitates a more rapid recovery for patients. Brachioplasty is typically performed under general anesthesia or moderate sedation; this study details a successful technique to perform brachioplasty under wide-awake local anesthesia with high patient satisfaction and an excellent safety profile.