I have performed cosmetic surgery procedures in Albuquerque since 1996 and have operated in various operating rooms including those in Presbyterian Hospital, St. Joseph/Lovelace Hospital, Heart Hospital, Women’s Hospital, Albuquerque Surgery Center and Physician Surgery Center. Many cosmetic operations are performed in the ambulatory surgery center operating rooms. They provide the necessary environment for the surgeons to perform surgery in a safe and sterile environment.
While some operating can be done under local anesthesia in the office procedure room, many surgeries need to be performed under general anesthesia or deep sedation. The anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist administers medication, maintains the airway and monitors vital signs so that the surgeon can concentrate on performing surgery. Typically, a circulating nurse and a scrub nurse/technician are also present.
The operating rooms are equipped with positive pressure ventilation to keep the outside air from entering the room. The surgical instruments and the supporting equipments are also sterilized according to well-established protocols.
There is a saying in medicine that states “healthy people don’t belong in the hospital.” There are definite risks involved with surgery at a hospital. Drug resistant bacteria contamination of surgery instrument is just one potentially very serious problem. Recent widely publicized endoscopy deaths at UCLA has been linked to instrument contamination of CRE bacteria. The vast majority of our patients are healthy. I strongly believe doing surgery in the surgery center rather than in a hospital greatly decreases the risk of intra-operative infection.
Finally, it takes a team to get the best results from surgery. Therefore it is of utmost importance to have an exceptionally dedicated small group working together day after day. This is how we do our surgery efficiently and safely.
This is why we built Sandia Surgery Center and recruited the best people to staff it. Our goal–to be the best ambulatory surgery center for our patients. We are proud to be certified by American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF).
