Anesthesiology/Surgery

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Expert: - 1/13/2012


Question
My wife is having breast implant surgery in three weeks and smoked marijuana yesterday.  She is very concerned with the effects of marijuana use on anesthesia.  She smokes very rarely (probably once every 2 months) and has great metabolism.  Everything I've read has said stop smoking 2 weeks before surgery just to be safe.  Can you please give me a good medical opinion so I can put her mind at ease?

Answer
Marijuana around the time of surgery has been studied as a possible way to reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting.......the studies have, largely, been inconclusive.........but there have been no issues with marijuana/smoking per se with the patients who participated in the studies.

Anesthesiology

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JM Starkman, MD

Experience

Over twenty-five years of adult and pediatric, inpatient and outpatient clinical anesthesia practice--some private, some group.

Organizations
American Association of Physicians and Surgeons. My county medical society.

Publications
[not a researcher]

Education/Credentials
American medical school graduate. Board Certified. Fellowship trained Cardiovascular and Pediatric anesthesia subspecialist.

Past/Present Clients
Over 20,000 anesthetics, the majority of which have been personally managed, with less than 5% consisting of supervising nurse anesthetists or in-training resident physicians.

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