INTRODUCTION

The ultimate in consumer-driven medical care is the business of cosmetic surgery. These are purely elective procedures performed for the convenience and wishes of the buyer patient and at the convenience of the patient. Traditional ideology of surgical care is maximized as service is optimized. The maximization of service should never, however, compromise the prevailing medical, surgical, or anesthetic standard of care. Meeting the standard of care is the minimum requirement of the cosmetic surgical practice.

Much has been written regarding the safety of general anesthesia in the office. One should have a structure and plan for the administration of care that adheres to known standards. The care offered to entice the consumer to an individual practice and practitioner is multifaceted. Several studies have found that the friendliness and courtesy of the staff were top predictors of patient satisfaction. The rendering of anesthetic care must be cognizant of the consumerism of plastic surgery and be sensitive of delivering their care with a practice philosophy suited to the surgical practice. Care is often beyond expectations as patients and their idiosyncratic requests are willingly accommodated.

In this chapter, some of the specific particulars of general anesthetic care are provided as they relate to individual procedures. There are also some methods of care that cater to the consumerism milieu.