Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 9/17/2009

Question
I am a 66 year old white male who underwent a colonoscopy yesterday. The test proved negative with no complications.  Prior to entering the hospital I experienced no flu or common cold symptoms.

Within 20 minutes of leaving the operating room I began to experience frequent sneezing and a significant discharge of a watery, colorless fluid from my nose.  There has been no coughing or other "flu" symptoms and the tissues that I used for my nose revealed no discoloration whatsoever.

This sneezing and "runny" nose has persisted for the past 20 hours and I am wondering if I was allergic to the form of anesthetic I was given for the procedure?

Answer
The symptoms you describe are not consistent with an allergy. I assume you were sedated and not intubated for your colonoscopy. There is no physiologic explanation why you would show flu like symptoms after anesthesia. The ONLY thing I can think of (and this is a wild guess) is that you had a nasal cannula with oxygen and the flow of oxygen irritated your nasal mucosa causing the symptoms you describe (but I'll be the first to admit I am stretching it here to give you a possible reason).


Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston