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Is local anesthesia sometimes used for transplant surgery?
I need to have a kidney transplant, and I'm curious about the type of anesthesia that is going to be used. Is it going to be local anesthesia or will I be completely out?
7 Answers
General anesthesia
A kidney transplant is a major operation. It is unlikely this could be accomplished with a local anesthetic. You should expect a general anesthetic will be the type of anesthesia used for this procedure.
With a transplant surgery typically this would require general anesthesia. Your surgeon and anesthesiologist will come up with the safest plan for anesthesia wise given your basic general health, kidney function, etc.
Marc A Morales MD
Most likely not. A corneal transplant may be amenable to local, but it is a tedious procedure and the eye must stay absolutely still so it is better under general anesthesia.
Types of anesthesia may vary based on physician and patient preference, but almost all kidney transplants are done under general anesthesia. If you do not want to have general anesthesia, you may wish to ask about other options, but most often it is done with general anesthesia.
You could theoretically do it under spinal or epidural anesthesia, but, unless there is a good reason for you not to have a general anesthetic, you will be asleep.
Completely out. They may infiltrate the skin with LA at end of procedure to decrease pain