A meta-analysis of over 40 studies involving almost 20,000 patients confirmed what we already know. If you have a choice, avoid general anesthesia and stick with local. They found that general anesthesia was associated with many potential risks, including life threatening risks that could be avoided with the use local anesthesia. As a side benefit the cost to patients is dramatically reduced also. Remember, whenever possible keep it local, keep it safe!

Article Citation:

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Assessing the Outcomes, Risks, and Costs of Local vs General Anesthesia: A Review With Implications for Cutaneous Surgery
J Am Acad Dermatol 2018 Jan 12;[EPub Ahead of Print], MC Locke, JC Davis, RJ Brothers, WE Love