Is surgery risky for asthma patients?
The answer is both yes and no. If your asthma is optimally controlled, you generally can undergo major surgery without any significant complication from your underlying asthma. If you have poorly controlled asthma or are steroid-dependent, you are at considerable risk and need specific medical preparation by your asthma specialist well before surgery. Surgery may result in a severe flare of asthma or other complications during or immediately after surgery. In addition, persistent coughing following surgery can complicate surgery by causing wound separation and other surgical complications. If you are asthmatic and steroid-dependent, you are at risk for both a flare of your asthma as well as adrenal gland failure which can result in a sudden drop in blood pressure as you enter into a state of shock. Finally if you are sensitive to latex, you must notify the surgeon and anesthesiologist to this fact and review with them what precautions will be taken during surgery to limit your exposure
