You Postion During Extraction - Face Down on Gurney or Seated Upright in Chair?

[jimcraig152]

For my FUE procedure, I was seated upright in a chair the whole time during extraction. I am wondering what is the general experience for others, whether you had FUT or FUE. Please answer these questions related to the surgical donor extraction process (of course you are reclined on your back during implantation):

1. FUT or FUE?
2. Upright in chair or face down on gurney?
3. Taken under with general anesthesia or awake?

[aaron1234]

FUT I was laying face down for the strip removal.  FUE I was laying face down too for the extractions, but on my sides as well.

I was awake for all of my procedures. 

Edited October 21, 2020 by aaron1234

[jimcraig152]

Interesting. I was thinking for FUT it is better to be seated upright because after the strip is removed, the head can be tilted back to help with closing the excision. But now that you stated that you were face down with your FUT procedure, the more I think about it, FUT in a face down position might be better surgical method. The head is basically immobilized in that position.

[yalla8]

On 10/21/2020 at 4:29 AM, jimcraig152 said:

For my FUE procedure, I was seated upright in a chair the whole time during extraction. I am wondering what is the general experience for others, whether you had FUT or FUE. Please answer these questions related to the surgical donor extraction process (of course you are reclined on your back during implantation):

1. FUT or FUE?
2. Upright in chair or face down on gurney?
3. Taken under with general anesthesia or awake?

1. FUE

2. Face down, head elevated on chair with a special opening in the headrest for breathing. 

3. Awake with mild sedative and local anesthesia. 

[naakmuka]

For my FUT I was seated upright, propped up on a cushion the whole time. I just had local anesthesia so I was wide awake.

[Al - Moderator]

I was face down for a while during the implanting of grafts to my lower back crown area because the grafts must face downward and the area was already in the back, so it was much easier for them to insert them with me lying face down.

 

[jimcraig152]

49 minutes ago, BeHappy said:

I was face down for a while during the implanting of grafts to my lower back crown area because the grafts must face downward and the area was already in the back, so it was much easier for them to insert them with me lying face down.

 

Interesting. Welp, that shows that your surgeon cared to ensure that your implants were inserted at the proper angles. The sacrifice they made was not getting home quite as early as those subtle nuances that allow for more naturally appearing results do take a bit of extra time. But at least the patient results were put first. Plenty of examples out there where these nuances are skipped and it shows.

Can you comment however on the extraction? FUT or FUT, face down or up, awake or under?

[Hoohair]

Great question, I had my transplant 4 weeks ago and one of my worries before hand was laying face down for hours. I struggled in the past having physio for 20 minutes in that position. To my suprise I was lying sideways for my whole extraction period and sitting up at 45 degrees for incisions and implantation. very comfortable throughout the whole day. Its amazing how different every clinic is.

[jimcraig152]

32 minutes ago, Hoohair said:

Great question, I had my transplant 4 weeks ago and one of my worries before hand was laying face down for hours. I struggled in the past having physio for 20 minutes in that position. To my suprise I was lying sideways for my whole extraction period and sitting up at 45 degrees for incisions and implantation. very comfortable throughout the whole day. Its amazing how different every clinic is.

I checked out your thread. When you mentioned extractions were done while you are on your side, I had in mind that you would come out looking like Harvey "Two-Face" Dent. But nope. Your donor management looks excellent for 3400 FUE grafts! No areas where too many grafts were taken from too small of an area and graft extraction is randomly dispersed. They must have turned you to the other side halfway through. So two questions for you:

1. Did they graph and map out your donor area? I am thinking they must have because it looks very even on both sides
2. Were you awake or under from GA? I am guessing you were awake being how you were able to describe the experience.

[Hoohair]

Hi yes the Dr turned me over half way through. Ive never heard of any where doing a HT under GA( General anaesthetic). I assume that's what GA stands for? Correct me if I'm wrong.

I was given local anaesthetic but they did give me a sedative Xanax which may be why I found the whole experience calming. They didn't map out my donor as such but drew an out line.

I will be doing a 4 week update tomorrow actually. Then you can see my donor doesn't look as nice as the picture above after some growth. I may have suffered some shock loss. Or its just uneven hair cut.

[jimcraig152]

Compared to mine where I had 1100 less units extracted, for 3400 units, your donor looks really good. At least your surgeon drew in the extraction area. Some don't bother at all with subtle nuances that make all the difference.

Right, GA = General Anesthesia. You'll be surprised that there is at least one surgeon recommended on this forum that knocks their patients out with GA and doesn't even disclose that he will do so beforehand. I mean, if you get a shot to each bicep at the start of the procedure, unless you have really hairy arms and are doing BUT, that has to be GA, right? I am Asian, I don't have hair on my arms :).

I'll check out your update. Thanks for the info!