Undergoing surgery with COPD is risky

Kidney stones

Is Anesthesia Safe When You Have COPD?

The combination of COPD and anesthesia may carry a significant risk. Long-term survival rates for people with severe COPD who have surgery is often poor. There is also a significant risk of postoperative complications, especially within the lungs. But does this mean that COPD patients should never have surgery?

Possible Complications

Undergoing surgery with COPD is risky, but what exactly could happen? What, specifically, are those risks?

• Lung infections such as pneumonia
• Sepsis (a "whole body" infection that is very serious)
• Pneumothorax (a collapsed lung)
• Respiratory failure
• Poor wound healing
• Inability to wean off of mechanical ventilation - For general surgery, a tube is placed into your airway to provide ventilation. A significant concern with lung disease is that the additional stress of surgery on the lungs will make you "ventilator-dependent" even if you were previously breathing OK without assistance.
• Hypoxia - Tissue damage and cell death due to inadequate oxygenation to the body, including the brain.
• Blood clots and pulmonary emboli are very common in people with COPD, especially if surgery requires that you be inactive for some time.
• Cardiac arrest

All COPD patients are at greater risk for developing complications after surgery that involves anesthesia. Active management during each phase of surgical intervention is essential for ensuring an uncomplicated recovery.

If your about to have Lithotripsy procedure for kidney stones

What is Lithotripsy?: Lithotripsy is a procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureter (tube that carries urine from your kidneys to your bladder). After the procedure, the tiny pieces of stones pass out of your body in your urine.

For a normal person who has no COPD

Is a lithotripsy painful?
Lithotripsy takes about 45 minutes to an hour to perform. You'll likely be given some form of anesthesia (local, regional, or general) so you don't experience any pain. After the procedure, stone debris is removed from your kidneys or ureter, the tube leading from your kidney to your bladder, through urination.

How is a lithotripsy performed?
Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) is the most common treatment for kidney stones in the U.S. Shock waves from outside the body are targeted at a kidney stone causing the stone to fragment. The stones are broken into tiny pieces. lt is sometimes called ESWL: Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

What are the side effects of a lithotripsy?
Risks and side effects. People often experience bruising and soreness after lithotripsy. A fever or chill may indicate an infection, so a person should speak to a doctor. If stone fragments get stuck, there may be a blockage in the ureter.