Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 9/24/2009

Question
Ok I'm having knee surgery next Thursday the 1 St and will be going under General but my concern is that I'm such a hard stick with IV's and I don't know what would happen if they couldn't get one in . Would they cancel because of that ? or just put me under using a mask and then start the IV then when I'm not as tense ? Also I would like to know if I should tell the nurse that I'm a hard stick when I go in for surgery or just leave it alone and not say anything . Your advice would be greatly helpful thanks .

Answer
You should certainly let them know because they may have you come in early so you don't delay the case. While some people are hard sticks, there are very few that are impossible (I can recall just one in my career and she was a dialysis patient for many years). Usually what happens is they get a small IV so they can put you to sleep and after you are asleep, they put in a larger one for the case. The anesthesia actually helps to dilate the veins so they are easier to stick.


Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston