Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 11/13/2010

Question
Hi, I am scheduled for elective surgery this coming Wednesday.  I will have a CRNA doing anesthesia with 12 years experience.  My concern is that I am almost over a cold virus with a cough and slight sore throat. no fever but fatigue.  IS it safe for me to proceed?  It is an iv only anesthesia with a LMA.  Also, I am concerned with laryngospasms b/c of my post nasal drip.  How is this treated if it does occur and how is it detected quickly so that it can be treated?  Also, curious if I can suffer from laryngospasms since I don't have adenoids?  Thank you, I appreciate your help b/c I am very nervous.

Answer
First of all, if you are an adult, the risk of laryngospasm (after the cold is over) is small compared if you were a child. Furthermore, you will have an LMA (which is a supraglottic devide) and does not induce laryngospasm. That is usually caused by irritation of the vocal cords from an endotracheal tube. So it is safe to proceed. As for how it is detected, it becomes very hard to ventilate the patient and it is treated by either applying continuous pressure to break the sapasm or intubating you. In either case, you are in safe hands. Adenoids have nothing to do with it as they are also suprglottic.

Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston