Rhinoplasty doesn't require general anesthesia — our clinic performs all nose surgeries, including primary rhinoplasty, revision cases, and procedures involving rib cartilage harvesting, under sedation anesthesia (often called "twilight sedation") rather than general anesthesia.
Under sedation anesthesia, you're kept comfortably asleep and completely unaware of the procedure, without the deeper systemic effects and longer recovery typically associated with general anesthesia. This applies even to rib cartilage harvesting, which some patients assume would require general anesthesia given it involves a separate part of the body — it doesn't, and is performed safely under the same sedation approach as the rest of your surgery.
Consultation Tip
If other clinics have mentioned general anesthesia for rib cartilage rhinoplasty, that's often because locating the right section of rib cartilage to harvest can be technically difficult, and less experienced surgeons default to general anesthesia to manage that uncertainty. Dr. Kim's extensive experience with this specific step means he doesn't need that added margin — feel free to ask him directly about this difference in approach.
Ready to talk to Dr. Kim? Reach out on WhatsApp to book your video consultation: Chat with us on WhatsApp (+82 10-4434-6234)
— Dr. Hyung-taek Kim, KOWON Plastic Surgery