[CrunchRN]

I am having oral surgery with sedation at a very reputable oral surgeon here in town.

They do generals all the time for the oral surgery. However, I believe it is the surgeoun and a "tech" type situation although since I haven't been there yet to really check it out.

Any thoughts about safety? Should I tattoo "No CPR if you can't defribrilate" or something on my chest.

I guess I am just nervous about the non-hospital setting and the whole tooth implant surgery in general.

Anyone had this and care to relate their experience?

Thanks!

[earle58]

i had a major abscess that didn't resolve on abx.
inevitably, i had to go to an oral surgeon who was going to vigorously massage the area.
i had to be put under gen'l and it was absolutely fine.

i too, sought out someone with a remarkable reputation.
best of luck.
you'll do just fine.

leslie

[kstec]

Since reading a couple of articles regarding bad things happening to people with sedation, I would make sure that they show you where the crash cart is and that they a something to reverse the effects if something should happen. Good Luck

[MikeyJ]

If it is a reputable dentist, I am sure they have measures set in place if someone starts crashing (I am sure that is very rare though to crash under general anesthesia unless they have some sort of allergic reaction). I went to a very reputable oral surgeon to have my 3 impacted wisdom teeth extracted and I had asked the tech what would happen if I didn't respond well, and he said they had a crash cart always on hand.

[Babarnurse]

Sistermike:
You are kidding right? going under and coming out from anesthesia is the most dangerous part of most surgeries.
With that being said, I'm sure they have policies in place for such situations.

[GingerSue]

not trying to frighten anyone,
but this is one eg when things didn't work out because of a kink in the tubing for the oxygen, the patient died in the dental surgeon's office

Therefore - what can be learned from this tragedy?

http://www.therecord.com/home_page_f...y_1096519.html

[MikeyJ]

Originally Posted by Babarnurse

Sistermike:
You are kidding right? going under and coming out from anesthesia is the most dangerous part of most surgeries.
With that being said, I'm sure they have policies in place for such situations.

No, I wasn't kidding. I understand it is dangerous to be put under anesthesia. However, you are not going to have people having oral surgery crashing left and right. I am not saying people do not crash, but if you have competent dentists who are monitoring you throughout the surgery to quickly adjust in relation to the individuals vital signs, then you shouldn't have people crashing on a regular basis.

[TracyB,RN]

Hmmm, I would check your state's website to make sure the oral surgeon was in good standing. In IL, there was a dentist using sedation, screwed up, & his YOUNG, like 6 yr old patient, died. He ended up losing his license, at least temporarily. I haven't done any follow up on the story, but it happened in Chicago.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to make sure the techs were CPR certified & if there is an ACLS certified nurse on staff.

Nitey, nitey & wakey, wakey are when the pt is most vulnerable.

[Babarnurse]

Sistermike,
With all due respect, I think you need to do more research.
It is said the best here:
Nitey, nitey & wakey, wakey are when the pt is most vulnerable.
That is a KNOWN fact of anyone who has ever worked in the OR or had any kinds of procedures.
The operative word in your post is *should*. Yes, you rarely hear of people having trouble in the dentist office, but it is STILL the most dangerous part of the procedure, no matter what the outcome.

[MikeyJ]

Originally Posted by Babarnurse

Sistermike,
With all due respect, I think you need to do more research.
It is said the best here:
Nitey, nitey & wakey, wakey are when the pt is most vulnerable.
That is a KNOWN fact of anyone who has ever worked in the OR or had any kinds of procedures.
The operative word in your post is *should*. Yes, you rarely hear of people having trouble in the dentist office, but it is STILL the most dangerous part of the procedure, no matter what the outcome.

I am not exactly sure what we are even disagreeing on here -- I agree that the patient is most vulnerable during that time... I am not disputing that at all. And I understand it is extremely dangerous, and yes the OP should ask pertinent questions regarding the procedure and what type of measures they have set-up in the case that she crashes.

HOWEVER, I was trying to state that a healthy adult with no known allergies to the analgesics being adminsteristered should feel pretty safe in the hands of a reputable and competent dentist (or any doctor, for that matter) while being put under by general anesthesia. Although it is possible for the patient to have an adverse reaction, it is not common in healthy adults with no allergies to the medications being adminstered. But I am not disputing the fact that there is always a possibility of something going horribly wrong when being put under general anesthesia.