Question:
Has anyone ever been told they could not be intubated prior to WLS?

Has anyone had this happen to them? They are all prepped for surgery and the anesthesiologist can't intubate because of an anatomy problem??? This is happening, as we speak, to a patient. They are going to discuss the possibilities of performing a tracheotomy. Needless to say, the surgery has been postponed and she will be kept in the hospital overnight until a solution has been arrived upon. She doesn't even know it yet!!!    — Dianne K. (posted on February 24, 2004)

February 24, 2004
It happens, and here is entirly more info on the subject than you would ever want: http://www.nda.ox.ac.uk/wfsa/html/u09/u09_025.htm
   — DrQ

February 24, 2004
I was told the some thing when my husben had 5 way by-pass.They said they were lucky and had a person there that worked on people that are hard to intubate. they went on to say if we live in a small town and a unpland sugery came up he would be in big trouble.That you only see this every 2-3 thound people.
   — m H.

February 24, 2004
I was told the some thing when my husben had 5 way by-pass.They said they were lucky and had a person there that worked on people that are hard to intubate. they went on to say if we live in a small town and a unpland sugery came up he would be in big trouble.That you only see this every 2-3 thound people.
   — m H.

February 24, 2004
Yes, I was told the same thing whew i had my WLS. They made me swollow thi stuff that was like jell novacane(sp). it made me sick and i could not swollow. everytime i breath in i could feel moisture go into my lungs. I told them i could not cough either. I was so glad to be put under when the got me to the op-room. I had had surgerys befor and this was the first time I had been ever told this. to this day i remeber the taste and the feeling. I never want to have that stuff agin.
   — Debra F.

February 24, 2004
Yes indeed this is a potential anesthestic complication for WLS patients. As an anesthesia provider myself specializing in bariatric surgery and a WLS pt myself, airways of overweight people can be quite challenging. We have particular exam criteria that we look at prior to putting a patient to sleep. It's a matter of life and death when a patient is put to sleep and suddenly you cannot ventilate that patient nor put a "breathing tube " in. The time to decide that you may have a difficult airway is PRIOR to putting a patient to sleep for that patient's safety. God gave us only one airway. Thank God they were obviously able to ventilate that patient, wake her up and discuss other airway options. Whether a tracheotomy is needed or not is between the patient and the physcian's involved. There are a variety of airway options.
   — wolfskimba

February 24, 2004
I had my wls on 1/27/04 and I was told that I was hard to intubate so that was why the surgery took longer than expected..I will ask my surgeon about it at my March appt but I am lucky that everyone knew what to do and all is ok!!, Kathy
   — Redbunny2

February 24, 2004
This happened to me in September. I had a kidney stone removed the week before and the doctor told me that I was hard to intubate and that if they could not intubate me, they would not do the RNY. They had me go to a Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor who checked it out and said I should be o.k. (My voice was raspy and very soft due to them trying to intubate). My WLS doctor had the anesthia doctor talk to the one at the hospital where I had the kidney stone removed and on Oct. 28th, I had my WLS. My vocal chords were irritated again, and my voice still "cracks". My WLS doctor left the tube in for 2 days just in case they needed to go in again.
   — Janet S.

February 24, 2004
My friend, Ginger Brewster had a very difficult time being intubated because she had a very thick neck with a very narrow opening. They did manage to intubate her, though. Unfortunately, she had many complications and died, not because of the original intubation, but because of other problems. Her story is on the memorial page of this website for anyone interested. My point being that a very thick neck with a narrow opening could also mean other problems such as sleep apnea. Please be safe and have co-morbid conditions under control as much as possible.
   — Hackett

February 25, 2004
i needed sinus surgery & after being put under i could not be intubated. i was awakened & forced to submit to being awake while they tried again, with no success. i was so traumatized by this that i never did have the surgery & suffer to this day. i made it a point to discuss this with my wls surgeon & my surgery was done on a day that my surgeon & his 'special' anesthesist set aside specifically just for me. the anesthesist deals with all of my surgeons 'teeny tiny throat patients'. he came to my pre-op room,spent 20 minutes with me, examined my throat, hemmed & hawwed, told corny jokes & promised me that altho i would be awake when he successfully intubated me, i would not remember a thing about it. here i sit 120 lbs lighter!! they need to find the right solution & the right anesthesist for your friend & it can be done. god bless her!
   — sheryl titone

March 5, 2004
Let me tell you a couple of things. First of all, they physically can not put you to sleep until they have intubated you. Once you are asleep, your lungs are physically unable to breath on their own. That being said, many people insist that they were put to sleep before being intubated. Trust me, you weren't under the general anesthesia yet because if you were and they couldn't get a tube in you and you were already asleep and not breathing, you'd be dead. They give you really good drugs before intubating you, so that is why most people don't remember being intubated and insist that they were put to sleep first. Secondly, if this is a concern of yours, check to see if your anesthesiology people have the equipment and skill to do fiber-optic intubation. This is where they used a scope with a light and camera-type lens so they can see better and make it a little easier. If you've had trouble being intubated before, tell them to be sure to have fiber-optics on hand....and well as an anesthesia person available who knows how to use it! Good luck to you!
   — Lynette B.

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