How do I overcome the fear of another gallbladder surgery?

Question

Hello doctor,

My first attempt for gallbladder surgery failed because they could not intube me. As a result, I had a bad experience where I remember after they injected me, I had a pleasant dream, but after some time it was just pitch black. I could hear everything but I could not breathe or move, I was desperate and tried to breathe and I counted till the tenth till I could breathe and woke up. I am afraid to redo the procedure now.

Is this normal?
What should I do?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello.

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Intubation was difficult in your case. The incidence of difficult intubation is five to seven percent in lean-built patients and 11 in obese patients. Intubation is a process in which a tube is passed through your upper airway. This process is a must before giving general anesthesia before Lap G.B. surgeries.

You may discuss this issue with your anesthesiologist in detail who would assess and investigate your airway preoperatively and plan for anesthesia accordingly. Awake fiberoptic guided intubation is an option that may be attempted in a difficult airway patient. But requires an expert anesthesiologist, with a center well-equipped for difficult airways. Do not worry.

I hope that you get your answer.

Please let me know if you need any help.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

What you had is called "awareness" under anesthesia. It occurs when your muscles are paralyzed by paralyzing injection, but you are not adequately unconscious. It must have been traumatizing for you.

But most probably, it happened because your intubation failed; the only option your anesthesiologist had was to make you awake as soon as possible by stopping all the anesthetic agents. That may have caused awareness. General anesthesia is to make you completely unconscious and paralyzed so that you do not move during surgery and have no memory of the same. It was only that you happened to be a patient of unanticipated difficult intubation.

I hope this is clear.

Thank you.