Ambulatory anesthesia for cosmetic surgery in Brazil.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Outpatient plastic surgery is growing around the world. This industry faces unique challenges in terms of patient selection and standards of practice to ensure safety and cost-effectiveness. This review will highlight information about anesthesia practice for outpatient cosmetic surgery in Brazil, especially regarding regulation, legislation, and medical tourism.

RECENT FINDINGS: Medical tourism is growing worldwide, with a flow of patients traveling from developed to developing countries where procedures can be done at a fraction of the cost as in the patient's home country. Though generally well tolerated, there are concerns about incomplete data on outcomes of office-based surgeries and lack of safety standards.

SUMMARY: Brazil is one of the world's leaders in cosmetic surgery. Strong legislation governing outpatient facilities and continued development of accrediting standards for healthcare facilities are indications of a commitment to patient safety and high quality of care. Although the market for medical tourism in this country is high, there are still barriers to overcome before Brazil reaches its full potential in this industry.