Be sure to tell you doctor if you have sleep apnea before any surgical procedure involving general anesthesia.
There are millions of people out there that live with a form of sleep apnea. With proper diagnosis and treatment, most commonly with CPAP equipment, those individuals can find relief and manage the symptoms of sleep apnea quite effectively.
However, at some point in our life, most of us will go through a form of surgery that will require us to go under general anesthesia. For the millions of people with sleep apnea, there are potential risks beyond the scope of the surgery. CPAPCentral.com wants to make sure you’re prepared for your surgery and that your sleep apnea doesn’t lead to unnecessary complications.
Tell Your Doctor About Any Sleeping Issues
Your doctor has your best interest at heart, so it’s essential that they have as much information about your health as they possibly can. If you believe you may be experiencing sleep apnea, even if you haven’t been diagnosed, you need to inform your doctor of any symptoms you are experiencing. If you’re regularly tired during the day, wake up suddenly at night feeling short of breath, or snore regularly, you could have sleep apnea, and your doctor needs to know about it.
Pre-Operation and Operation Procedures
Your anesthesiologist will help make sure your surgery goes smoothly. You will be given a pre-operation assessment and examination. During the surgery, your anesthesiologist will monitor your airway to ensure you’re breathing properly and that the sedatives are not affecting the muscles of your airway.
Post-Operation Procedures
Patients with sleep apnea need special monitoring after surgery because the effects of the sedatives can have an impact on your airway for several hours after the last dosage is administered. In many cases, you may be intubated, where a tube is submitted into your airway until you are completely awake following surgery. Because of this, patients with sleep apnea often aren’t a good candidate for same-day, or outpatient, surgeries.
Once you are back at home, try to get back into a normal sleeping routine. For those with sleep apnea, that means using your CPAP machine, mask and other supplies. If you need more CPAP equipment, contact CPAPCentral.com to replenish your supplies.