Expert: JM Starkman, MD - 3/31/2010

Question
my daughter has wpw syndrome.   she also has cysts in her ovaries.  i would like to know appox what percentage of risk is it to be put to sleep during the cysts removal?  thank you

Answer
The risk is quite low (though I do not have a 'number', formally published as a studied established WPW 'risk' under anesthesia--which may be administered a wide variety of ways).

As long as your anesthesiologist KNOWS that your daughter has WPW, ascertaining that the necessary drugs are in place to treat a tachycardia (that may rear its ugly head during her perioperative period) is really quite a routine matter, and every anesthesia "area" I've seen is regularly equipped with the pharmaceuticals to treat WPW. See to it that the anesthesiologist who will administer your daughter's anesthesia has an opportunity to review her history in advance to make the needed preparations. BTW, most anesthestics prolong A-V conduction so while the concern is always there--in the end, patients with WPW that I have treated never have had any issue!  Also note that for many decades ALL patients have had their EKGs monitored continuously during and after anesthesia--so rapidly identifying a problem is always the standard of care.