Breast Augmentation in 4 Days. Fear of Dying From Anesthesia?

No it is not unusual at all, just as many of us have a fear of crashing when we go on plane trips.  But you cannot live life without taking any chances.  You just need to make sure the odds are well in your favor by (1) having an experienced and qualified plastic surgeon and (2) having your surgery in an accredited or licensed surgery center or hospital.  Sounds like your asthma is mild and could be treated if you developed any wheezing.  I would recommend you stop smoking for good.  Your chance of dying from lung cancer greatly exceeds the chance you will die during surgery, and you want to be around for your grandchildren.  Quit now and in 5 years your increased risk due to past smoking will be just about nil.

If your asthma is optimally controlled the risk is very small and you can undergo major surgery without significant asthma complications. Most anesthesiologists I have worked with will recommend that you take your asthma medicine the prior to surgery with a sip of water and bring your inhalers to the surgery center. In addition, steroids are given just prior to anesthesia in most patients any way which helps prevent asthmatic complications. On the other hand, if your asthma is poorly controlled, or you are steroid-dependent, you are at increased risk and therefore it is recommended that your asthma specialist provide any needed specific medical preparation prior to surgery including a written plan to give to your surgeon and anesthesiologist regarding asthma medication recommendations pre- and post-surgery. This will include a complete pre-surgical evaluation including pulmonary function test results, physical examination, and review of your medications and past medical problems. If your pulmonary function tests are not optimal your asthma doctor and/or anesthesiologist may choose to postpone surgery until your asthma is under optimal control prior to giving surgical clearance. In addition, it is advisable that you contact that anesthesiologist beforehand to discuss any issues that might arise and their management. . This is because surgery may cause an asthma flare or related bronchospasm during or immediately after surgery. Make sure you tell the anesthesiologist and your surgeon the amount and type of steroids you take so additional steroids can be given to prevent adrenal insufficiency which can result in a sudden blood pressure drop.#asthma#breastimplantswithasthma

Hello! Thank you for your question! The issue with nicotine is that it
also acts as a vasoconstrictor, clamping down of blood vessels. Blood
supply is always of great concern during any surgical procedure, but
especially in such a procedure as a breast reduction where the viability of the
nipple-areolar complex is obviously important. Since the vascularity to
the area is already tenuous since it will be raised by cutting around
the area, maximizing blood flow to the tissue is critical. Typically,

we recommend at least 6 weeks of smoking cessation prior to and at
least 6 weeks after any surgical procedure. The longer, the better.
Nicotine always increases the risk for infection, nipple necrosis, poor
scarring, and
wound complications, as well as other health consequences including blood clots. The
anesthesia risk is greater with general anesthesia as well as pulmonary
issues/lung infections postoperatively. The anesthesia is very safe, but I would recommend smoking cessation immediately.  I would
discuss this with your surgeon prior to your procedure. Hope that this
helps! Best wishes!

    Dear Debby26,  Many patients are fearful of general anesthesia. The reality is, the risk of anesthesia in a young, otherwise healthy patient is extremely low. Your smoking and history of asthma as a child should be discussed with your surgeon and the anesthesia provider, but should not change your surgery plans. The smoking is more of a concern for wound healing but we have not seen any major problems with our patients who smoke and have breast augmentation. Stop smoking if you can. Good luck and enjoy your new look.

Most patients who have never undergone a surgical procedure have concerns about general anesthesia. It's important to discuss these concerns with your surgeon.

Let's put it in perspective: in a young, healthy person, under 65 with no major medical problems, the risk of dying from anethesia is about 10 times less than the risk of dying from a car accident.

Nonetheless, the risk is not zero, but neither is driving in your car everyday. There are definitely higher risks of wound healing and peri-operative complications with patients who smoke, so I would definitely tell you to STOP ASAP.

Good luck with your surgery.

 

Having fears before undergoing surgery is very normal.  Almost all patients have some anxiety when going to the operating room.  Luckily, modern general anesthesia is generally very safe especially in people without medical problems.  See the attached link about a recent study on safety in the operating room.  Also, make sure you inform your anesthesiologist about your history of asthma.

I am concerned about your smoking history but more related to your healing after surgery.  Smoking inhibits the normal wound healing processes and can lead to significant wound problems after a surgical procedure.  Does your surgeon know that you are still smoking?  Talk to your surgeon about it if you haven't.  Good luck!

Your concerns about undergoing surgery/anesthesia are understandable and very common  Assuming you have chosen your plastic surgeon carefully and he/she works with well experienced anesthesia providers in a fully accredited surgery center the chances of you having a anesthesia related complication are very small.  Of course, your past medical and surgical history should be carefully evaluated as well. Based on your question and the ( almost palpable) anxiety,  I think that you will be best off spending additional time with your plastic surgeon discussing your specific concerns. You should be aware that, generally speaking, patients who are relatively calm prior to surgery tend to do well afterwards as well. Best wishes.

I understand your fear and it is a normal response. We as medical professionals take anesthesia for granted, but for a young woman with important responsibilities the thought of anesthesia can be scary.

I can assure you that anesthesia as practiced today is very safe. We have board-certified anesthesiologists providing anesthesia to our patients in our accredited office surgery facility, but occasionally offices will have a nurse anesthetist provide anesthesia in an office setting. The monitoring of patients during surgery includes not only pulse rate and heart rhythm but also blood pressure, temperature and continuous oxygen levels in your blood. Even the medications are safer than ever before.

Most would agree that you are much safer having anesthesia for your breast surgery than driving to the facility, and we do not even think about the risk of driving. I hope this helps reduce your anxiety. I am sure your surgery will go well.

Anesthesia is extreamly safe, and you can do things to make it even safer. Smoking will not help you and is one place to start. Next make sure that your procedure will be performed in an accredited facility with regular peer review of results, and that the person providing your anesthesia have been properly credentialled for best peace of mind.

Most patients have some anxiety about having surgery and anesthesia of any type for almost any procedure not just a cosmetic procedure.  Anesthesia today is very safe and the monitoring during the procedure makes it safe.  You should already be aware of the qualifications of both your surgeon and your anesthesia provider and you should be aware of the accreditation of the facility.  If all that is order just be sure to tell your anesthesia provider about your smoking.

Good luck.