Sleep Apnoea and Unrelated Surgery

Hi all,
I am scheduled to go under general anesthesia for some dental work. The surgery itself is not supposed to be pretty standard but I have severe sleep aponea. I have been using a CPAP machine for about 10 years and lead a normal active life with no other complications.
I am nervous about the surgery and wondering if there are added risk because of sleep aponea. Is inability to breath during or after surgery a real risk? Aside from surgery, are those of us having the condition at risk of stopping breathing if we fainted or became unconscious?

Any advise/thoughts?

Cheers,
Esh

During most general anesthesia you are intubated. You would have a tube going down your throat and a machine breathing for you. Sometimes they use twilight anesthesia that just sedates you and don't use a breathing machine. Definitely tell your doctor about your sleep apnea.

I assume that you're in the U.K.

You did not say what type of mask you'e using (or which machine).

Since you're going under a general anesthetic, there should be an anesthesiologist. Speak to him (or her) a few days before the procedure. Specifically, ask if you should bring the CPAP and make sure that (s)he would know how to put it on if the need arisies.

Specifically, ask if 02 will be readily at hand.

I had an endoscopy to check my stomach for an GERD as I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea they would not sedate me to put the camera down and I had to do it with a local throat anaesthetic.

Jas_williams wrote: ↑

Sun May 27, 2018 1:30 pm

I had an endoscopy to check my stomach for an GERD as I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea they would not sedate me to put the camera down and I had to do it with a local throat anaesthetic.

YUK!

Jas_williams wrote: ↑

Sun May 27, 2018 1:30 pm

I had an endoscopy to check my stomach for an GERD as I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea they would not sedate me to put the camera down and I had to do it with a local throat anaesthetic.

I am pretty sure that is standard now.. the same thing was done for me last year when I had the same procedure..

I also had knee surgery last year too and was put under for that .. all the Drs know of my apnea which is 95AHI untreated and no issues were had yet there are always risks...

Dental work isn't much fun and when they put me out for that it is sort of a conscious sedation and you are able to respond if they need you to and aren't really asleep but you won't remember what has been taking place.. I have 2 root canals next week but not going under for those.

Best of luck with it all...

BTS wrote: ↑

Sun May 27, 2018 3:34 pm

Jas_williams wrote: ↑

Sun May 27, 2018 1:30 pm

I had an endoscopy to check my stomach for an GERD as I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea they would not sedate me to put the camera down and I had to do it with a local throat anaesthetic.

I am pretty sure that is standard now.. the same thing was done for me last year when I had the same procedure..

I also had knee surgery last year too and was put under for that .. all the Drs know of my apnea which is 95AHI untreated and no issues were had yet there are always risks...

Dental work isn't much fun and when they put me out for that it is sort of a conscious sedation and you are able to respond if they need you to and aren't really asleep but you won't remember what has been taking place.. I have 2 root canals next week but not going under for those.

Best of luck with it all...

In Canada they actually put you under for a root canal??

LSAT wrote: ↑

Sun May 27, 2018 3:44 pm

BTS wrote: ↑

Sun May 27, 2018 3:34 pm

Jas_williams wrote: ↑

Sun May 27, 2018 1:30 pm

I had an endoscopy to check my stomach for an GERD as I was diagnosed with sleep apnoea they would not sedate me to put the camera down and I had to do it with a local throat anaesthetic.

I am pretty sure that is standard now.. the same thing was done for me last year when I had the same procedure..

I also had knee surgery last year too and was put under for that .. all the Drs know of my apnea which is 95AHI untreated and no issues were had yet there are always risks...

Dental work isn't much fun and when they put me out for that it is sort of a conscious sedation and you are able to respond if they need you to and aren't really asleep but you won't remember what has been taking place.. I have 2 root canals next week but not going under for those.

Best of luck with it all...

In Canada they actually put you under for a root canal??

No but it is an option if you have really bad anxiety ..It is already expensive enough at $1000 a root canal or more getting put under during this or other procedures is only another $60

I get freaked out myself getting put under for anything .. Chose not to for my Wisdom teeth as well..

SOME surgeries here also have an option to stay awake if you're not comfortable or have other issues making the risk factor more than others, that you can get many done without being put under ...

For OP I am pretty confident that the dental procedure will be No issue even having sleep apnea ... Just let your Drs know and hear about pros and cons And all options...

I strongly urge you to take your cpap with you and insist that they either place it on you or, if there is a contraindication because of the dental surgery, have it bedside with doctor's orders that your O2 level be closely monitored until you are completely alert and conscious. If you can get your sleep doctor to write to the attending anaesthesiologist that you must have cpap or frequent close observation that would be good too. Can you possibly have a friend or family member bedside also? To literally shake you awake if you stop breathing (are apneic). You should make a big fuss over the need for cpap or frequent observation. Even today there are many medical professionals who discount sleep apnea as being an important medical issue. Precautions are easy enough to take if they treat sleep apnea as a serious medical issue.

I second what Greenbean posted -- make a fuss, take your machine, take a friend to monitor breathing/read oximeter (shows pulse rate & saturated oxygen levels). Oxygen drops need to be avoided! Oximeters can be bought on Amazon.