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Elective surgery and IPF
Hello,
I have recently been diagnosed with IPF. Judging by my lung function tests and symptoms it is mild. Unfortunately I have also suffered a herniated lumbar disc (a ‘slipped’ disc) which requires minimally invasive surgery performed under general anaesthetic. The pain prevents me from walking very far.
I am worried about having surgery with IPF – the risks of pneumonia or developing a cough are my main concerns.
I know it is ultimately for me to decide what to do but any advice or information would be extremely helpful.
Many thanks
EDIT: Apologies for posting on the wrong thread. I have reposted on the general thread.
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4 Replies
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I have your concerns also. At some point I will need a knee replacement or I will be unable to walk without a crutch.
I’m afraid I will have respiratory failure due to surgery and have to go on oxygen all the time.
If anyone has been thru elective surgery with IPF I would like to hear about their experiences.
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Hello. If I may ask: what is the status of your IPF and have you received any advice about the risks of surgery?
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Funny you should mention it. I had knee replacement, TKA, 8 or 9 years before being diagnosed with IPF. I was desaturating postop in recovery and had a CT scan to rule out a pulmonary embolus. I didn’t have a PE and passed it off as over medicated due to my relative drug naivety due to no drugs, alcohol, smoking and only occasional coffee. After my IPF diagnoses, I went back to my medical records and discovered that the radiologist noted an incidental finding suggestive of IPF on my scan. None of my providers picked up on that to suggest follow up. It really didn’t matter since there wasn’t any real treatment for IPF at the time, just disappointing. The health industry tries, but no profession has a perfect score.
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I was diagnosed with mild IPF 2 years ago. I have had 2 hip replacements and a heart ablation in the last 18 months, and am about to go in for a shoulder replacement. My pulmonologist approved all of these procedures and so far I have had no complications.
I do have a question about general anesthesia, though. For many surgeries I’ve had before I had IPF, I was given a TIVA (total IV anesthesia). I think this has been mostly propofol. For the hip replacements, I had inhalation anesthesia. I get terrible nausea (for days) and vomiting from the inhalation kind, and have very good results with the TIVA. Did I read someplace that inhalation is riskier for us with IPF because of the tube and possibility of lung injury? For my last hip replacement, I argued with the anesthesiologist and he still insisted on inhalation. Am I right to push the TIVA? Thanks!
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