Surgical Facility and Anesthesia

Facility choices
I will help you decide on the most appropriate site for your surgery and the type of anesthesia that is best for your specific surgery and your general health and safety. Fees for operating rooms are paid directly to the facility. There are 3 alternatives:

  • Doctor Kaplan’s office surgery suite
    • My office is used for minor surgeries of an hour or less. Office surgeries are always local anesthesia, and pills are used for mild sedation. Examples may be: small liposuctions, eyelid surgery, otoplasty, scar revisions.
  • Plastic Surgery Center
    • This ambulatory surgery center is state licensed and Medicare approved and has specialized instruments, and equipment for plastic surgery. Most importantly there is a dedicated full-time nursing staff with extensive experience in plastic surgery. Examples include: face lift, breast surgery, large liposuction, tummy tuck.
  • Stanford Hospital and Packard Children’s Hospital
    • Hospital surgery is rarely needed. The exceptions are for patients with significant health problems that require post-surgical monitoring, or when postoperative care requires intravenous fluids or medications. Examples may be: cleft palate, breast reconstruction.

Anesthesia
Anesthesia is provided by the AAMG (associated anesthesia medical group). The anesthesia group has worked with us for 20 years at the Plastic Surgery Center and Stanford Hospital. They have consistently provided safe and comfortable anesthesia and have repeatedly received highly complimentary reports for the comforting interactions and easy recovery.

Anesthesia choices

  • General anesthesia
    • You will be completely asleep. I may also inject the surgical area with local anesthesia. Fees for anesthesia are paid directly to the anesthesiologist group.
    • MAC (Monitored Anesthesiologist Care)
      • Deep intravenous sedation administered by an anesthesiologist is carried out at the ambulatory facility. The surgical area is also anesthetized with injections of Xylocaine.
      • Local anesthesia with intravenous sedation
        • Medications are given to make you very comfortable, very sleepy and relaxed. The surgical area is also anesthetized with injections of Xylocaine. This is commonly done at the Plastic Surgery Center.
        • Local anesthesia with oral sedation
          • I can give you 2 or more oral medications to make you moderately relaxed and sleepy. Anesthesia is gently administered using injection with xylocaine. The surgery is done in the office minor surgery suite. There is no additional fee for local anesthesia.

Post-surgical Assistance

  • Responsible adult at home or hotel
    • Most surgical procedures require postoperative assistance. You will need a responsible adult to drive you home, to a friends or motel. You will also need someone to stay with you the first postoperative night. Usually this is provided by a friend or family member.
  • Nurse
    • However when home care is not desired or not possible, we will help you arrange for postoperative care. We can put you in contact with a nurse or other caretaker to come to your home, or you can go to their home. There is also an option to go the Menlo Surgical Hospital if more extensive hospital nursing care is needed.
Primum non nocere” - “never do harm” is my underlying philosophy.”
-ERNEST KAPLAN