This page contains information about Anesthesia.
Subject Re: Anesthesia info. for Physicians
From Bonnie
The following articles are available from the Post Polio Health website and were helpful for me during my recent colonoscopy and surgery last year. I am gathering from my recent experiences that most anesthesiologists and doctors know about PPS, but not extensively and appreciate the additional information.
Summary of Anesthesia Issues for the Post-Polio Patient
http://www.post-polio.org/edu/hpros/sum-anes.html
The following publication titled Post Polio Syndrome - Management and Treatment in Primary Care might also be helpful for any of our health professionals.
http://www.post-polio.org/edu/hpros/pubs-med.html
Just as a heads up - I have also found that my biggest surgery related problem is the automatic use of opiate derivative drugs following surgery. I've had problems with such meds (reduced capacity to move easily and breath freely) for years and with my recent diagnosis of PPS I now understand why and wear a medical bracelet. I also used ibuprophen following the removal of my ovaries and was able to discontinue them 24 hours later. The big pain meds guns aren't always necessary following surgery - especially for those of us who are accustomed to managing pain over the years.
Bonnie
Oregon
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Subject: Postpolio Syndrome and Anesthesia
From: Scout
Anesthesiology. 2005 Sep;103(3):638-644.
Postpolio Syndrome and Anesthesia.
Lambert DA, Giannouli E, Schmidt BJ.
* Anesthesiology Resident, Department of Anesthesia, dagger Assistant
Professor, Section of Respirology and Critical Care, Department of
Internal Medicine, double dagger Professor, Section of Neurology,
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of
Manitoba.
The development of polio vaccines 50 yr ago essentially halted childhood polio epidemics in the industrialized world.
During the past quarter century, a constellation of delayed neuromuscular symptoms, called postpolio syndrome, became recognized among the aging polio survivors. The prevalence of postpolio syndrome in the U.S. population is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. The most common symptoms are fatigue, pain, and new onset weakness thought to be related to delayed deterioration of motor neuron function.
When a patient with postpolio syndrome presents for surgery, special precautions are warranted, because these patients may have respiratory impairment, sleep apnea, swallowing difficulties, and cold intolerance.
This article first reviews clinical features and some pathoetiologic theories of postpolio syndrome and then focuses on anesthetic considerations including the use of common anesthetics, neuromuscular blockade, regional anesthesia, and general anesthetic management strategies.
PMID: 16129991 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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