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Can General Anesthesia Cause Any Health Risks For Obese Patients?

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Posted on Mon, 16 Oct 2017
Question: Question i am having a davinci hysterectomy in a month and i am terrified of general anesthesia!! I have been reading that being obese is a risk factor as well as smoking. I quit smoking so will that reduce my risk under anesthesia even if it will only be 4 weeks before surgery? What are the chances i will have problems??
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (21 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Pretty darn low risk.

Detailed Answer:
wow, MGM.... XXXXXXX Mayer divorced his wife due to depression she had after hysterectomy. This was a thing that happened back then. It might have been because they also removed ovaries and produced rather severe menopause.

The reason I bring it up is two fold. 1) it depends totally on the individual what the risk of this low risk procedure is and cultural expectation can cause severe problems. and 2) what the operation actually is varies also

So, good news and bad. The effect of stopping cigarettes is small at 1 month but certainly not zero. At 2 weeks it is close to zero. That is the bad news. The good news is that getting INCENTIVE SPIROMETRY will increase lung function IN TWO WEEKS.

So , risks can be with allergy to medicine or latex, heart conditions, lung conditions, anemia or organ failure prior to the surgery. You don't have any of those. The regular pre=ops are to make sure you do not.

It's really low risk.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (5 minutes later)
Im confused?? At 2 weeks if you stop smoking the risks are close to zero and at 4 weeks they arent??
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (4 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
the effects improve over time.

Detailed Answer:
the effects on the lungs from stopping cigarettes accumulate and take time. Certainly 1 hr after quitting cigarettes there is very little effect. there is not measurable effect at 2 weeks. You might start seeing something by about a month of quitting cigarettes but really it takes months for healing and removal of previous accumulated junk to start making a difference.

On the other hand, muscle tone is improved with 2 weeks of exercise even if the muscles are not visibly bigger. This is true of every muscle including the lung diaphragm. So, with INCENTIVE SPIROMETRY, breathing is a bit better and surgical issues a bit less.

BUT, this study of INCENTIVE SPIROMETRY was done on OLDER AND SICKER people than you to show any effect at all. Your risk is so low at ago 40 that I doubt it could be affected by anything.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (1 minute later)
Thank you!!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (1 minute later)
Brief Answer:
You are very welcome

Detailed Answer:
call us anytime.

I'd say good luck but I have to say I don't think you need it.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4214 Questions

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Can General Anesthesia Cause Any Health Risks For Obese Patients?

Brief Answer: Pretty darn low risk. Detailed Answer: wow, MGM.... XXXXXXX Mayer divorced his wife due to depression she had after hysterectomy. This was a thing that happened back then. It might have been because they also removed ovaries and produced rather severe menopause. The reason I bring it up is two fold. 1) it depends totally on the individual what the risk of this low risk procedure is and cultural expectation can cause severe problems. and 2) what the operation actually is varies also So, good news and bad. The effect of stopping cigarettes is small at 1 month but certainly not zero. At 2 weeks it is close to zero. That is the bad news. The good news is that getting INCENTIVE SPIROMETRY will increase lung function IN TWO WEEKS. So , risks can be with allergy to medicine or latex, heart conditions, lung conditions, anemia or organ failure prior to the surgery. You don't have any of those. The regular pre=ops are to make sure you do not. It's really low risk.