Paroxymal AF and a general anaesthetic

[Pugsley]

I am undergoing an elective keyhole gallbladder removal next week.. I met with my anaesthetist today and after listening to him describe the RISKS involved having a general anaesthetic with Paroxymal AF I’m now wondering just how safe it is to go thro with the op ...just wonder if anyone out there has been there....

[Desanthony]

General Anaesthetics are risky to everyone really. Could there be alternatives? Could sedation and local anaesthetic such as an epidural be given - I had my hip rplacement done with sedation and an epidural. My wife is asthmatic and has two other lung conditions which makes GA riskier for her and is therefore offered sedation and local anaesthetic. What are the risks to your health of your not having the operation? It is a matter of risk assessment. Is there an alternative treatment which will have the same success as the operation? The question to ask the anaesthetist is has he had problems with patients like you? What were the outcomes for these patients? Anaesthetics are a more complex now and can be delivered specifically for the needs of the patient so maybe another discussion with him asking what he would do to alleviate the risks to you taking your condition into account would be helpful.

Good Luck

[Hidden in reply to Desanthony]

The gallbladder is a little too high for a safe epidural as the epidural medicine would have to be injected higher up closer to the heart and lungs. You can ask anesthesia if this is possible but my guess would be they won't do it. At gallbladder level general anesthesia is safer. Also a deeper level of anesthesia is required for the abdomen and with sedation and local it might be difficult to achieve the level of muscle relaxation and absence of pain to remove your gallbladder. These are good questions to ask the anesthesiologist. They will explain it much better than me.

[pottypete1]

I have had many GAs since PAF started. This includes 3 for ablations and another 3 hour operation 2 years ago.

In addition I too am also having another operation using keyhole surgery under GA planned for 2 weeks time.

I have had no AF issues associated with having the anaesthetic.

All surgery either with sedation carries a risk and I have learned to just accept that I am in more danger being driven to the hospital in a car.

Hope this helps and that your operation is successful.

Pete

[Desanthony in reply to pottypete1]

So true! The most dangerous thing you can do is get in a car.

[Barb1]

All operations carry risks. I have had many GA s whilst in A Fib including first ablation that lasted over 7 hours. Others whilst in SR and they didn't bring on A Fib. An experienced anaethetist is what you need.

[Bagrat]

I have had two surgeries with Paroxysmal AF. Both uneventful as far as anaesthetic was concerned. Just remember that recovery is an individual thing. I had one surgery 2 weeks before Christmas 2015 and read with delight that if of working age I could be back in 2 weeks. Alas as a retired soul took me a while longer!!!

It is a requirement to tell you all the risks. If you were hoping to win the lottery with such odds, chances are you wouldn't.

[meadfoot]

I had a keyhole gall bladder removal three months ago under general anaesthetic and have af and svt. I had a thorough pre op check a few weeks before and my EP was contacted by them for advice.

The advice was people are being operated on every day with permanent af and the team know how to deal with patients with this issue while undergoing the surgery. In other words no big deal.

I had the op, no problems at all. They are duty bound to explain the risks and give percentages to protect themselves.

Really it wasn't a big deal at all but I understand your very real concerns. All I can say is i was nervous but I was fine. Hope this helps.

[secondtry]

I had the same operation while on holiday (not planned) in Portugal in 2005, I may well have had PAF then but it was 3 years before I was officially diagnosed. I also read recently that an inflamed gallbladder can be healed another way, sorry can't recall the details, it may have been in the magazine 'What Doctors Don't Tell You' - suggest you consult an experienced Naturopath for more info.

Could you summarise the main risks mentioned to you with having a GA when you have AF as I feel sure that will be of interest to many here?

Good luck

[Marwills20]

I had an operation back in April this year which was abandoned due to Paroxysmal AF , they told me it went crazy high .. but I also had an operation which lasted 2 1/2 hours back in October last year that went fine .. both operations were to fix an incisional Hernia post a ruptured appendix .. the only difference between the two operations was the first operation I was in NSR and the second operation I was actually in AF when they put me to sleep .. now I have to get a third .

[C66t]

Pugsley, I had keyhole gb op last Nov.general anaesthetic. I take sotalol and elequis for paf stopped elequis 48hrs pre op and restarted morning after all went to plan tg. hope this helps. Best of luck. PS once you are awake start moving your shoulders even just up and down @first then rotating this helps with any trapped air in your tummy post op. Also as soon as you can walk for 10mins every hour I did this and no shoulder pain which most complain of post op.

[Hidden]

Hi Pugsley. I am 74 y.o. and have been in permanent a-fib for 5 years with a pacemaker and Av node ablation in 2016. Last year I had my gallbladder removed by 'keyhole' surgery (mini-lap here in the US) and did fine. Anesthesiologists are used to administering general anesthesia to many patients with cardiac problems. However, they must by law let you know the risks and depending on how they present the info this can scare the life out of us. If you need the surgery have it. Most gallbladder surgery is done electively before more serious sx develop. This is the safest time to do it. Your gallbladder will only get worse the longer you put off surgery and it is much safer for your heart to have it before complications develop and turn elective surgery into an emergency. BTW, the surgery was easier and less painful than I thought. Went home the next day-some patients leave the same day. Usually just surgeon and hospital preference. Good luck and take care. irina