Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 8/6/2010

Question
I experienced a very slow recovery rate from anesthesia (3 hours versus 45 min) after surgery for gall bladder pancreatitis.  The anesthesiologist said it was due to a deficiency of the cholinesterase enzyme.  I have had surgery more than once in the past and did not experience any problems and have not experienced any drug allergies.  Is this a serious problem and what do I need to do in case of future surgeries?

Answer
Pseudocholinesterase deficiency only occurs if you receive Succinylcholine as a muscle relaxant. It is likely that you did not receive this in your previous surgeries. This is not an allergy but rather the absence of a enzyme that metabolizes the succinylcholine. In future cases, tell your anesthesiologist that you have pseudocholinesterase deficiency and they will take care of the rest.


Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston