Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 10/2/2007

Question
I was considering getting voluntary plastic surgery. My blood pressure runs 80/70 to 70/61. All medical problems have been ruled out. I have heard that there could be a problem during surgery because anesthesia is know to lower the blood pressure and if my blood pressure drops to low or fluctuates to many times during surgery that this could result in serious medical complications.

Answer
It seems unlikely that your baseline BP is 70 over 60. Who was this measured by? Generally, people with pressures under 80 are not conscious (or at least not active). With a pressure like that you don't leave room for error. Depending on what kind of plastic surgery, it could be done under local or regional but I would be hesitant to put you to sleep if that was your real pressure.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston