Already a member? Sign in
What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.
Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.
How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!
I facing a major surgery to remove about 12 inches of my colon. Do they deactivate the ICD during the procedure? I have Long QT and scared of the anesthesia and the medications. I was thinking about asking if it could be done with an epidural. I had major surgery years ago with an epidural. Anyone with experience with anesthesia since getting the device?
Thanks!
Libby
Hi Libby-
I have not had major surgery, but I have had several surgeries. I have had 4 icd's since my SCA in 1992. I had surgery to remove uterine fibroid tumors, arthroscopic knee surgery and most recently, a lumpectomy for breast cancer. I also had anesthesia when they put in a port for my chemo treatment for cancer.
When they thought they needed to do cauterization (for my knee), they put a magnet over my icd and shut it off and put me on a heart monitor. They did not want the icd to misread the cauterization activity and zap me. However, if I had happened to go into v-fib, they planned to stop, take the magnet off and let the icd work. They did not have to do it, it all went fine, no v-fib, no complications. My doctors consulted with my electrophysiologist before the surgeries and they all knew how to manage it and what to do.
Typically when you get icd's replaced it's done under a local but they also give you drugs to mellow you out, so you don't really care. They also test the device and for that, they put you out. There is lots of experience using anesthesia of varying types with people with icd's.
Good luck.
Fran
Hi Libby-
I have not had major surgery, but I have had several surgeries. I have had 4 icd's saince my SCA in 1992. I had surgery to remove uterine fibroid tumors, arthroscopic knee surgery and most recently, a lumpectomy for breast cancer. I also had anesthesia when they put in a port for my chemo treatment for cancer.
When they thought they needed to do cauterization (for my knee), they put a magnet over my icd and shut it off and put me on a heart monitor. They did not want the icd to misread the cauterization activity and zap me. However, if I happened to go into v-fib, they planned to stop, take the magnet off and let the icd work. They did not have to do it, it all went fine, no v-fib, no complications. My doctors consulted with my electrophysiologist before the surgeries and they all knew how to manage it and what to do.
Typically when you get icd's replaced they do it under a local but they make you all sleepy so you don't really care. They also test the devices and for that, they put you out. There is lots of experience using anesthesia of varyiong types with people with icd's.
Good luck.
Fran
Add to the discussion