Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 5/3/2009

Question
Hello, I have had a cold for a few days now and it is starting to go away.  I am due to go in to hospital on 7th May to have a procedure done. I have the mirena coil and it has gone missing, it's still inside me just not where it should be, the gynae doctors are unsure if it is embedded in my womb or if it has moved to somewhere else as when I had an xray they said it was in my pelvis.  They did try to get it out while I was at the gynae clinic but with no luck. Just wondering if my op will go ahead and how long you need to be over the cold before they'll give an anesthestic?  I also have mild asthma (never been in hospital because of it)

Answer
I would suspect you will be fine by the 7th if you continue to make a good recovery and don't develop any further symptoms. I don't put a time limit as to when I am happy to anaesthetise and adult - with children we like to have 7-10 days between a cold and any anaesthetic.
Hope it all goes OK and that they find the coil quickly somewhere in your womb - they usually do!
Kind regards
Dr Ian Jackson