I had the exact same experience myself. I'm from a former Eastern Bloc country.
I had to go have my adenoids removed, and it was done with just a local anesthetic - actually, if I remember correctly I was given an injection beforehand which made me sort of woozy, but not very. I didn't get belted down to a lazy-chair, but I did sit on the lap of a beefy nurse who kinda held me down and made sure I didn't squirm too much. My dad was a doctor and was present throughout.
I live in the UK now and when I say that this sort of operation was done with just a local or nothing at all, people don't believe me.
I had to go have my adenoids removed, and it was done with just a local anesthetic - actually, if I remember correctly I was given an injection beforehand which made me sort of woozy, but not very. I didn't get belted down to a lazy-chair, but I did sit on the lap of a beefy nurse who kinda held me down and made sure I didn't squirm too much. My dad was a doctor and was present throughout.
I live in the UK now and when I say that this sort of operation was done with just a local or nothing at all, people don't believe me.