I went to the doctor recently and need endoscopic surgery on my knee (1 night in hospital).
The doctor recommended general anesthetic (put to sleep) and said it had fewer risks than regional (spinal) anesthetic, in which I would remain conscious. Both are options I can choose.
From what I have researched online – regional anesthetic has less risks than general, and I was wondering in peoples experience if doctors/surgeons in Japan tend to prefer general anesthetic to be able to work on an unconscious patient (which I imagine is optimal)?
Personally I would prefer not to be rendered unconscious!
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I had spinal for my ankle surgery (Turned the outer bone into a good puzzle… 15 screws and a plate later….). By far the worst experience of my life, I remember begging to be put out at one point because the feeling was unbearable. Funny enough, I’m sure it wasn’t the surgery that was the problem but how the spinal made me feel all over.
Recently for my wrist surgery I had a local applied to my nerve in my shoulder which was sufficient for numbing pain, but I warned them about my previous negative experience (at the same hospital) and this time from the start they had a light stream of oxygen ready to calm me down. That surgery I was awake the entire time, it was fine, only hurt once when they were literally breaking the bone a bit more so it would go together cleanly, and all I remember were the sounds of tires being changed as they used impact drills to put the screws in.
And last, I’ve had general anesthetic in Canada as well (years ago) and I would generally speaking prefer to be put under, let the doctors do their thing, and wake up knowing it either went to plan or not… nothing scarier to me than it being mid operation and hearing “oops”.
I had arthroscopic knee surgery several years back, with a 3 day hospital stay after. They put me out (general anesthesia) and it was fine, no problems in general.
Until I woke up and found that the catheter was extremely painful. They wanted to leave it in until I could walk around again, but after 2 hours or so I told them just to take it out and give me the bottle to pee in (forgot what it’s called).
I don’t actually know whether or not catheters are needed if you get regional anesthesia. But if they aren’t necessary then I’d probably be inclined to go that way next time.
I’m really surprised about the only one night hospital stay?
Hello, I am an American trained nurse anesthetist but I am a SOFA member. I hope I’m not overstepping any boundary but wanted to make you a little more informed. For what it’s worth, there should not be any anesthesia variation between any 1st world countries so what they do in Japan for anesthesia should be the same done in the USA.
If you are a healthy individual, I would recommend general anesthesia. Typically, it’s easier to work with and a regional anesthesia such as a spinal or nerve block is not as reliable. For an arthroscopic knee surgery like you are having, a general anesthetic is just as safe as a regional anesthetic. He mentioned needing a catheter for after a spinal, which is true because you cannot feel the sensation of needing to urinate with a spinal until it wears off and even then you might have difficulty urinating after. General anesthesia may cause this too but usually it won’t.
Also, even if you have a regional anesthesia, at least in America, you still get sedation to make you sleepy during the case so you don’t hear us talking or hear them working. But I don’t know if that’s the case here in Japan.
If you aren’t a healthy individual…like you have diabetes or previous stroke or heart attack, the regional anesthesia is going to be safer for you because they can monitor your consciousness and if you start having symptoms of a heart attack or stroke they know right away.
You can also ask your anesthesiologist what they recommend. In America, you would go home same day of surgery for this type of procedure. I hope I helped you out.
i had a surgery that some friends in US had with local, but here in Japan i was told they could only do general
My husband had general anesthesia for his wrist surgery and it went 100% smoothly. I personally wouldn’t be worried if you’re in good shape and healthy.
Last year I had two surgical procedures done on my shoulder to correct damage from chronic shoulder instability.
My only option was general anesthesia so that’s what I can speak to.
It was painless and there were no complications during the procedures themselves.
It was my first surgery and first time receiving general anesthesia. The only hitch was that I was nauseous to the point of vomiting and dizzyness for about half a day afterward.
I would gladly do general anesthesia again despite the nausea.