questions about anesthesia

[annie]

I am scheduled for bilateral total knee replacement in a couple of weeks. I am just as concerned about the anesthesia as I am about having the surgery, which I now realize is necessary. Any advice/experienced with general vs epidural or spinal would be helpful. I REALLY do not want a spinal if at all possible. thanks for your input......annie

 

[jglaze]

I had the same concerns, and after the surgery with general anesthesia, I had to go back in (very unusual) and I had a spinal for that, so I've done both! My advise is to go with anesthesia. I did vomit repeatedly while it wore off, but the spinal causes a fair amount of discomfort in my back where they injected it. When I came out of the surgery with the spinal I was also numb for a while and it was weird trying to move around while it wore off.

 

[edk]

I would be honest with the anestheologist about things. Especially
if you know you don't handle it well. I always vomit regardless of
drug if I feel dizzy so for my first few operations I vomited. Then I told
the anestheologist before and he gave me something in my IV before I woke
up and I never vomited again form anesthia

 

[dids]

Mostly the spinal is best because you get around 12 hours pain free after the op. Not many surgeons - or rather the anaesthetists - of my acquaintance like to do knees under GA (general anesthetic) especially if the patient is obese. GAs are very risky in obese patient. (Having said which I'm not looking forward to my spinal AT ALL!!! - what a wuss!!)

But in my recent experience as a theatre/recovery nurse, anti-emetics were given at the start routinely in both spinal and GA whether the patient had a history of post op nausea or not and more could be given by the recovery nurses as well if required.

 

[Joanie]

I too am waiting for a bilateral replacement. I am 46. I have had both; GA and spinal. Had the spinal last year for a bilateral knee arthroscopy-scared at the thought of it and asked the anaesthetist to sedate me. Gave me valium IV and I took my music with me and listened to it on the headphones; honestly I was SOooo relaxed, it was as so though the procedure was happening to someone else. Also when I was in recovery, it was nice to be conscious and alert when all around you are looking like zombies and vomiting. I really think I'll opt for a spinal when the time comes as I felt so much more in control and pain free. There was a discomfort in my back for a while but compared to the pain I normally live with in my knees, it was hardly noticeable. Hope this helps.

 

[dids]

BTW many anaesthetists will give you a knock-out med so although you're still in control of your own breathing and such, you are unaware of anything until you get into recovery. My sister had that and said it was much like having a GA for not being aware of the goings on. That's what I want. But the gas-men at my hospital (where I have worked) like to have their patients sitting on the edge of the trolley while the do the spinal so I now I can't be sedate for that bit. As soon as they're happy the spinal is working properly though, it's lights out!!

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!