Difficult Airway.

[kbh209]

The bullfrog found this paper that had apparently fallen out of the hospital folder
somewhere in the car in August after my surgery.
I never saw this at the time--"DIFFICULT AIRWAY LETTER"
It stated that I needed to notify my primary provider;
and purchase a medic-alert bracelet--plus notify any future anesthesiologists.
A copy is now in my medical record--but now I need to be proactive about
getting the needed details to the appropriate personnel--especially in an emergency.
If anyone else has experience with this situation, please speak up.

I've never had the official letter but so far officially I've concerned two anesthesiologists. My first time was talking with the anesthesiologist at San Francisco General Hospital at the oral and maxillofacial clinic. Since I was going to go under for all four of my wisdom teeth removal, the doctor was concerned about my small mouth and the characteristics of my bite and throat. This was prior to me being diagnosed with sleep apnea. Basically the anesthesiologist told me that she wanted to test me on the day of surgery if I could be intubated. I told her okay. She told my mom after surgery I was good to go.

In the spring of 2018 when I was getting an endoscopy procedure done, the outpatient department anesthesiologist at St. Joseph's Hospital here in Stockton was not comfortable with me having the procedure in their department due to the same issues + me having sleep apnea. They sent me to the main section of the hospital and about six hours later I had the procedure done with no issue.

I had another procedure done this past fall and to avoid drama, I just reminded the gastroenterologist "need to have it done in the main hospital, please look at the notes from the prior procedure. "

Also I have a jack hammer esophagus, I found that out the hard way back in March of 2021 after choking on rice, so there's that

I suppose I should reach out to my primary care physician to check the hospital notes to see if I do have a difficult airway. Might be something to add to the old Medical Alert dog tag.

[chunkyfrog]

Communication about difficult airways is getting more attention within the last few years.
I read about a registry, but apparently it does not yet exist.

[Treatedandtired]

As a patient with treated apnea and an MP Class 3 airway who recently had to endure a PLIF, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my anesthesiologist had no difficulty with intubating me. Additionally, I was a bit surprised to find upon waking in the recovery area that my cpap hadn't been affixed. Apparently, my breathing was perfectly fine so the anesthesiologist told the staff to leave me off of cpap unless it became problematic.

It's best to give your doc all the information you can, but also, don't assume the worst just because you have apnea.

[kbh209]

@ ChunkyFrog: I reached out to my physician and nothing noted in my files from the anesthesiologists. So even though there was concerned, nothing is in my file.