Surgury and OSA with severe hypoxia

[heather38562]

I have had OSA with severe hypoxemia now for 2 years.  Im currently on CPAP with pressure of 16.  I'm fixing to have to have a ganglion cyst removed and was curious as to what the anesthesiologist will do differently (if anything other than normal) since the OSA is present.  My last surgury was gall bladder due to stones lodged in duct gland and upon recovery I was having a VERY difficult time breathing while in recovery.  It was to the point that I seriously thought I was dying.  They finally gave me 4 breathing treatments and oxygen then I got to feeling better.  This was done prior to my OSA diagnosis.  So I've not yet met with the anesthesiologist and was just wanting a heads up of what to expect.  I'm just really scared of being put back to sleep since last episode.

Any advice or input will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance,
Heather

[bhumi123]

Hello,

Well as far as the surgery is concerned there would be nothing much different that the ananesthesiologist will do. He might have a problem while intubation if you are overweight and short necked as most patients of OSA usually are. Other than that he will have to maintain proper oxygenation. Post operatively you should be comfortable if the surgery and extubation are successful and uneventful - you would be put on CPAP immediately post extubation even during the day at maybe different settings and the pressures gradually brought down to the best suited for you.

[noops01]

Hi Heather,

Please go through the following article where a short acting analgesic sedative was used during surgery which resulted in much better postop recovery and respiration. Maybe you can discuss this with your aneasthesiologist.
http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ija/vol12n2/apnea.xml