Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 9/8/2007

Question
My husband takes Nardil and must have an umbilical hernia repaired.  We are concerned about the anesthesia options which are available to him.  If he does not have a general anesthesia, must he still discontinue his medication?  And how does one function when one is doing so??
Is it possible to have a local anesthetic with sedation for this procedure? Are there certain local anesthetics or sedatives he must avoid?  Thank you!

Answer
He should do whatever his anesthesiologist requests. The case can be done under local or regional anesthesia depending on the size of the hernia, the chronicity, etc. The problem with local is that, if there are loops of intestine in the hernia sac (i.e. a large hernia) then manipulation of the intestine would not be covered by the local, but regional would work. Basically, when you see the anesthesiolgist preop, he will describe the options and tell you what meds to take, etc.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston