Safety at RNWOOD: monitoring, equipment and emergency preparation
RNWOOD Plastic Surgery lists its safety arrangements as concrete items rather than as a promise. Before surgery, an electrocardiogram and blood tests are carried out. A deep plane facelift is mostly performed under IV sedation. RNWOOD's in-house anesthesiologist remains present throughout the entire procedure, continuously monitoring each patient's condition. Blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation are monitored during surgery. Airway equipment and emergency medications are kept ready, and patients rest in a recovery room for three to four hours afterwards. None of this means a complication cannot happen; it describes how the clinic prepares.
What happens before surgery?
An electrocardiogram and blood tests. Your medical conditions and the medications and supplements you take are collected earlier, at the online assessment. Where needed, internal medicine tests are part of the preparation, and your medical history and pre-operative test results are reviewed by RNWOOD's dedicated anesthesiologist.
How is anaesthesia handled?
A deep plane facelift at RNWOOD is mostly performed under IV sedation and takes about four to five hours. RNWOOD's in-house anesthesiologist remains present throughout the entire procedure, continuously monitoring each patient's condition. General anesthesia is also available for patients who prefer this option.
What is in the operating room?
| Category | Items |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | Monitoring equipment, pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitor, thermometer, blood glucose meter |
| Oxygen | Oxygen respirator |
| Sterility | Sterilisation unit |
| Surgical equipment | Bipolar, LigaSure, endoscope, suction unit, stem cell device, light source |
What is kept ready for an emergency?
Airway equipment: oral intubation tubes, oral airways, nasal airways and catheters.
Medications on the clinic's list include epinephrine, atropine, lidocaine, tranexamic acid, pheniramine, dexamethasone and others.
What happens after surgery?
You rest in the recovery room for three to four hours. The clinic has two recovery rooms and one inpatient room. Most patients go home the same day, and a one-day admission is possible on request. From the next day, aftercare continues daily during the stay in Seoul, with HBOT and Healite LED therapy from day 1 to day 7 and Dr. Min-Hee Ryu's own assessment.
What are the risks?
A deep plane facelift involves extensive dissection beneath the facial tissues. Risks include reactions to anaesthesia, bleeding, hematoma, infection, nerve injury, salivary gland injury, skin loss and general risks such as thrombosis or embolism. A complication can require emergency treatment or additional surgery. The full notice is at the end of this article.
What can I do to help?
Report every medical condition, medication and supplement, and every previous procedure with dates. Tell the clinic about any change in your health before the day of surgery. After surgery, contact the clinical team right away if you have severe pain, rapid swelling, fever, a change in vision, or a wound that opens or drains.
Frequently asked questions
Q1) What equipment is in the operating room?
A1) Monitoring equipment, a pulse oximeter, an oxygen respirator, a sterilisation unit and surgical equipment including bipolar, LigaSure, an endoscope and a suction unit.
Q2) What emergency medications are kept?
A2) The clinic's list includes epinephrine, atropine, lidocaine, tranexamic acid and others.
Q3) What is monitored during surgery?
A3) Blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation.
Q4) What tests are done before surgery?
A4) An electrocardiogram and blood tests.
Q5) How long do I stay in the recovery room?
A5) Three to four hours.
Q6) Can I stay overnight?
A6) Most patients go home the same day; a one-day admission is possible on request.
Q7) Who provides anaesthesia?
A7) RNWOOD's in-house anesthesiologist remains present throughout the entire procedure, continuously monitoring each patient's condition.
About the Author
Dr. Min-Hee Ryu is the Chief Director of RNWOOD Plastic Surgery in Seoul and a plastic surgery specialist certified in Korea (2008). He has been Faculty of the Mendelson Advanced Facial Anatomy Course (MAFAC) since 2016, an Editorial Board Member of the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Journal since 2019, and an Educational Council Member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) since 2024.
Deep Plane Facelift — Deep plane facelift involves extensive dissection beneath facial tissues. Risks include anesthesia reactions, bleeding, hematoma, infection, seroma, delayed healing, wound separation, persistent pain, and visible scars. Swelling, bruising, tightness, and numbness can last for months, and hair loss or distortion of the hairline or ear position can occur. Poor blood supply can cause skin loss or tissue death. Nerve injury can cause temporary or permanent weakness, an altered smile, or numbness, and injury to the parotid gland or salivary duct can cause salivary leakage. A postoperative hematoma can require urgent drainage or another operation. General risks include thrombosis or embolism, and a complication can require emergency treatment or additional surgery. No result, symmetry, scar quality, or duration can be guaranteed, and sagging can recur.