Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 1/2/2008

Question
Good afternnon.

My 82 year old mother hads just been told she requires an operation to her humurus which she broke during a fall. She has a heart condition and which meant she had an epidural as her principal pain killer for her hip replacement 6 years ago. She is extremely nervous of operations and general anesthesia given her health. Has there been any new developments in anesthesia since her hip operation or could you advise any course of action?. Being awake during that operation meant she was deeply shocked by the procedure.

rgds

Answer
Hi There
This is a difficult one and she really needs the assessment and advice of someone who has had the opportunity to assess her face to face. Hip replacements are traditional done with an epidural or a spinal anaesthetic and so I don't read too much into that. It is an interesting fact that no studies have shown that local anaesthesia is any better/safer than general anaesthesia for many operations. If she was deeply shocked by her previous experience then again this isn't good and though it is feasible to do operations on the humerous under local anaesthesia I would suggest this might not be ideal for her.
However I will end as I began - it is best to take advice from the experts who meet her.
All the best
Dr Ian Jackson