Anesthesia advice?

[GrammaBear]

Last year I had minor surgery and I inquired about bring my own CPAP machine to the hospital. I was told that it was not necessary for me to do that as the hospital provides that type of machine for patients that need it. It turned out that the hospital's cpap machine was a straight pressure which was not like my autoset machine at all. I could not use their machine and when the respiratory therapist realized what type of machine I needed, she authorized my husband to bring my machine to the hospital. Their electrician checked my machine over for safety issues and put a stamp on it saying it was "safe". If the hospital should tell you they provide cpap machines, be sure to inquire what type of machine and if they are appropriate for your sleep apnea issues?

[wubisnotanabbreviation]

wubisnotanabbreviation, what is your treated AHI and CAI like? Are you continuing to have significant CA events with your Vauto machine? Generally patients with complex apnea require ASV treatment for full relief.

I'm only about 2 weeks in, so I hope things will settle down. My AHI fluctuates widely, from 2.1 to 10.6, CA from 1.5 to 9.5. The CA's are usually in clusters. The long ones range from 30 to 45 seconds. I'm still a bit overwhelmed with the mass of statistics that greet me each morning when I pop my SD card in and fire up SheepyHead.

My first follow-up with my sleep doctor is in a week or two. I'll look up ASV and ask about that. Funny, though, during my sleep study when I was titrated for bi-pap, I slept better than I had in decades. They insist my machine and prescription match those settings...

[wubisnotanabbreviation]

I had a chance to talk with my surgeon yesterday, and he said the hospital has cpap available. I figured it was straight pressure, which does me no good. However, he did recommend that I bring my machine with me, which I was glad to hear.

He said the anesthesiologist usually calls the night before to discuss the surgery. Someone suggested being persistent and meeting with anyone on staff the hospital makes available. I'm thinking about that. In my experience, errors seem to be most common when there are exceptions to the usual, boring routine. I may be immodest, but I've read that CA is the least common apnea, and although my surgeon assured me that they are well aware of apnea and know how to deal with it, I'm not sure I'm going to respond in the usual way.

But I'm on the record with him, and immediately after our little visit, I heard him dictating his notes about me, which I believe he will review shortly prior to the procedure.

He did mention that they could do the surgery with a spinal block - I got the impression that the usual protocol is spinal block plus general anesthesia. I asked him point blank if he really wanted me kibbitzing during the operation, but he didn't seem to hear me. As much as I like to see how things really work, and despite my curiosity about just how, um, messed up my hip really is, I am not sure I would find that an enjoyable experience.

I want to thank everyone for thaking the time and trouble to offer their suggestions and advice. It means a lot to me.

[justMongo]

I had a spinal block for an inguinal hernia repair in 1999. They also gave me some Midazolam in the IV. Kept me right on the edge of consciousness. I wasn't able to ask any questions.

Summary: I think you're doing all the right things to assure a safe surgery and recovery.

If not too personal, may I ask which hospital the procedure will be done at?

[wubisnotanabbreviation]

I had a spinal block for an inguinal hernia repair in 1999. They also gave me some Midazolam in the IV. Kept me right on the edge of consciousness. I wasn't able to ask any questions.

Summary: I think you're doing all the right things to assure a safe surgery and recovery.

If not too personal, may I ask which hospital the procedure will be done at?

Thanks for the encouraging words. I suspected they might slip a mood-elevator in with the spinal, cause >whoa< I haven't watched any hip replacement videos on YouTube, but I'm told it looks and sounds a lot like remodeling a kitchen.

As far as location, Hoag Hospital. If "behind enemy lines" is anywhere around here, that should narrow it down considerably.

[klv329]

They will keep you well monitored and oxigenated in the recovery room and in the hospital room. I stopped breathing after some commotion in the recovery room and they used an invasive ventilator really quicky, as they did for at least one other before me, and I had to be on it for several hours. Bring your machine, otherwise you get one of theirs if you need one after and for the night, and they will give you a mask that probably won't fit. The anesthesiologistics will take good care of you during the surgery, the nurses have to do their thing after that so keep the monitors and alarms connected. And that was for a throat surgery that wasn't supposed to require a night in the hospital, but I found that I just don't handle that much juice very well, so for that one and a gallbladder removal I had to spend an unscheduled night in the hospital.

[brianwood619]

Talk to the anesthetist. Mine called my sleep doc and got all the details on my condition. When the breathing tube was removed after my knee surgery, they placed me on BiPAp at my prescription while I was in recovery. Granted they used one of those larger masks but I was treated well, and came through. Once I was awake enough to go back to my room the BiPap machine came with me and I used it the remainding four days I the hospita.

[Asjb]

Hello wubisnotanabbreviation,

You might find the following publication interesting - and you can always send a copy to your cardiologist, surgeon and anaesthetist, as a hint...

Practice Guidelines for the Perioperative Management of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

An Updated Report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Perioperative Management of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

If you search for: practice-guidelines-for-the-perioperative-management-of-patients-with-obstructive-sleep-apnea.pdf

Hope it all goes well

....................................................................................................
All my opinions are only as a xPAP user trying to help another xPAP user.
No suggestions I may make should be taken as medical advice.
If you have medical concerns I suggest you consult a doctor

My current pressures: Auto-ASV. EPAP 10-13. PS 3-10

[Kris the Crone]

You might find the following publication interesting - and you can always send a copy to your cardiologist, surgeon and anaesthetist, as a hint...

Thanks, Asjb, for this info. I will be sharing it with my surgeon and anesthesiologist before my operation in August.

[justMongo]

As far as location, Hoag Hospital. If "behind enemy lines" is anywhere around here, that should narrow it down considerably.

Been there.
There was a Hughes Aircraft facility at 500 Superior Ave, NPB.
I was with HAC Research Labs assigned to the microelectronics facility that was there.