Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 10/22/2007

Question
HI, MY WIFE HAS HAD TWO KIDNEY STONE REMOVAL PROCEDURES DONE, AT THE SAME HOSP. W/IN 14 DAYS OF EACH OTHER.  SHE IS MORBIDLY OBESE,AND GAVE THE ANESTIST A HARD TIME 1ST PROCEDURE.  2ND PROCEDURE THEY GAVE HER SOMETHING ORALLY, WHEN SHE RECOVED HER TOUNGE WAS SWOLLEN AND HAS SINCE BLISTERED UP, SHE CAN HARDLY EAT SOLID FOODS.  THIS WAS NOT THE CASE 1ST TIME AROUND.  I HAVE ASKED FOR THE NAME OF THE DRUG(S) TO NO AVAIL.  SHE IS ALLERGIC TO SULFA AND HAS IT NOTED IN HER CHARTS, COULD SOME SORT OF SULFA BASED PRODUCT HAVE BEEN USED TO MAKE IT EASIER TO INTUBATE HER??
 IF SO WHAT WOULD YOUR GUESS BE OF THE NAME OF THE CHEMICAL??

Answer
There is nothing sulfa based used in anesthesia (other than antibiotics) but I would imagine she was not given that. What may have happened is that, when they tried to intubate her the 2nd time (did they do a fiberoptic intubation), they had difficulty and caused injury to the tongue. The swelling and blistering may be normal healing for the tongue. Keep pursuing the anesthetic record which will explain what happened.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston