Parkinsons and General Anaesthetic
My husband has been told he will need a General Anesthetic (GA) to have a double cataract operation because of his shaking head. Presumably he will be under anesthetic for only 30 mins or so. Has anyone with Parkinsons any experience of undergoing a GA and any thoughts and advice?
I would certainly consult his neurologist and make him/ her aware of the intention to use an anesthetic. Since we are all so different in how we react to various procedures this would be the best place for reassurance.Best of luck with the surgery.
Thea DeStephano Community Team MemberThat’s a really good question, and it’s one many families in the Parkinson’s community ask. Having Parkinson’s doesn’t automatically rule out a general anesthetic — lots of people do undergo GA safely. The main things doctors look at are breathing, movement, recovery time, and making sure Parkinson’s meds are given on schedule, since timing is so important. For cataract surgery, the GA itself is usually short, often under an hour, and sometimes it’s the safer choice if tremors or head movement make local anesthesia tricky.
Interestingly, in Thane, there’s been a recent initiative focused on exactly these kinds of challenges. Dr. Naren Nayak has launched a Specialized Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Surgery Program, which highlights how carefully anesthesia and surgery need to be tailored for Parkinson’s patients. It just reinforces the idea that with the right medical team and planning, even people living with Parkinson’s can safely go through necessary procedures like cataract surgery.
