Technology advancements lead to growth in in-office procedures

Thanks to advancements in technology, a growing number of plastic surgery procedures may now be performed in-office under local anesthetic – something that is beneficial for both patients and physicians, says Dr. James Zasuly, plastic surgeon with Plastic Surgery & Skin Specialists by BayCare Clinic.

“In-office procedures have increased, and part of (what is driving that shift) is patient convenience, and part of that is cost,” Zasuly says. “A lot of procedures that we used to do in the hospital are moving into the office setting and I think that’s a benefit for the patients and the physicians, quite frankly.”

Increasingly, hospitals are busy which can make scheduling procedures difficult and certainly less convenient for patients – particularly now during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information on the growing shift to in-office procedures listen to this episode of the BayCare Clinic Podcast with Dr. Zasuly.

“Being able to offer some of these procedures outside of the hospital, in-office makes it much easier to pick a time and a date that is convenient for patients,” Zasuly adds. “And the experience is much different.”

For a procedure done in the hospital under anesthesia, that process begins the night before.

Typically, patients can’t eat after midnight and they will arrive 90 minutes to two hours before their scheduled procedure.

“It can become an all-day process,” he says.

For in office procedures patients arrive 15 to 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled appointment, vitals would be taken, and the procedure would happen.

“Depending on the procedure, patients might be here 60 to 90 minutes and then they are free to go home,” Zasuly says.

Another benefit to our patients is the lower out of pocket costs, since there are no facility or anesthesia fees with in-office procedures.

For Zasuly and the other plastic surgeons at Plastic Surgery & Skin Specialists by BayCare Clinic, Dr. Elizabeth O’Connor and Dr. Steve Schmidt, safety is always the first concern.

“As a team, we have vast amount of experience,” Zasuly says. “With that comes an understanding of those procedures that can be safely done in-office and which procedures would be better suited for a hospital setting. We evaluate each patient and situation on a case by case basis and work with patients directly to make decisions that work for everybody.”

The plastic surgeons at Plastic Surgery & Skin Specialists by BayCare clinic are skilled at the management of skin cancer and melanoma and often perform surgical removal of lesions and moles in-office, Zasuly says.

Liposuction, facelifts, mini tummy tucks, and even some hand and wrist surgeries can be performed in office.
“Many people are surprised at the scope of plastic surgery,” Zasuly says. “Our goal is to determine with each patient what they are comfortable with and what can be safely done in office. I always make sure my patients know the hospital setting is still an option for them, but if they want, we can do some of these things in-office.”

In office procedures may not be safe for every patient. The risks and benefits are weighed for each patient on a case-by-case basis by their plastic surgeon.

Dr. James Zasuly sees patients in Green Bay and Kaukauna. To request an appointment call 920-288-8240 or do so online.

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