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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

GA question

30 replies

MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 20:19

When I had an operation a year or so ago for a bladder prolapse, I had to lie on my side before they put me to sleep. The operation was performed vaginally so I have always wondered why they did this. Does anyone know?

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Meglet · 09/11/2012 20:21

Which side? If it was your left side maybe it was because that's the side your heart is on (sort of).

Did they put a spinal block in too? I had one for my hysterectomy.

MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 20:30

Hello
Yes it was my left side Meg. I was then facing all the machines that go ping! I didnt wake up with a spinal but maybe they took it out after.

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MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 20:33

Oh no actually it was my right side. I wondered if they were going to to something to my bum

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mosschops30 · 09/11/2012 20:36

Are you sure you didnt imagine it.
A GA needs to be done whilst you are lying on your back, this s so that when you are intubated you can see bilateral air entry and kniw you are ventilating. Patients are positioned once intubated and tube secured.
In all my time as an anaesthetic nurse ive never seen anyone in another position before intubation

Meglet · 09/11/2012 20:36

LOL at 'machines that go ping'. I get Monty Python flashbacks in operating theatres too .

I had morphine suppositories after my c-sections. Maybe they wanted to pop one in before your op.

(disclaimer, am not a surgeon).

MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 20:46

Oh maybe. I know it doesn`t really matter but I was just curious really.
mosschops Im pretty sure I didnt imagine it as I had to fiddle about to get the right position for them and was quite confused at the request tbh.

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mosschops30 · 09/11/2012 21:03

They might have been inserting a spinal. But you wouldnt have gone to sleep in that position, honest
suppositories are normally placed at the end of a surgery

MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 21:08

How strange! I didn't have a pre med so i dont understand my memory being so certain. Oh well im alive to tell the tale so I guess it doesnt matter.

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MrsMiniversCharlady · 09/11/2012 21:10

Another anaesthetic nurse here who is equally puzzled....very odd.

TotallyEggFlipped · 09/11/2012 21:16

I've only ever put a patient to sleep on their side if they were going to be problematic to position asleep. (eg very overweight, severe joint problems) It's certainly not the norm.

PacificDogwood · 09/11/2012 21:19

You won't have had a spinal without being consented for it.

Who operated on you - a gynaecologist or urologist?
Did you have an abdominal scar afterwards or was everything done vaginally??

Ponders · 09/11/2012 21:21

last time I had a CS I had to lie down on my side before they put the spinal/epidural in (the previous time I was sitting up, bent over a pillow)

so maybe they did give you a spinal first (they would def have removed it before you woke up) but I can't imagine you wouldn't have known they were doing it?

MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 21:21

Well im not a size 8 but im also not severely overweight size 16. My memory of going to sleep was laying on my side, looking at the machines while he put some thjng in to my hand. Could they have put me to sleep a little bit, put in a spinal injection then rolled me on to my back to finish me off?

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MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 21:23

Everything done vaginally. No outside scars . It was a gynaecologist as far as I know.

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mosschops30 · 09/11/2012 21:24

IME in a patient who is not compromised in any way, a spinal would be placed with you setting up.
Its unlikely youd need to be on your side to be cannulated which would either be in your hand/arm/foot.
I cant get why you would need to be on your side at all

MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 21:24

Im a size 16

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mosschops30 · 09/11/2012 21:24

sitting

mosschops30 · 09/11/2012 21:25

Pah size 16 is tiny
we've had 30 stone patients we've moved between about 8 of us

PacificDogwood · 09/11/2012 21:26

Wikipedia on surgical positions
Do you recognise yours??

MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 21:28

Could the GA have made me imagine it then? Im beginning to doubt myself now.
I definitely had to lay on my side but maybe they wanted to look at my back and then I forgot about rolling back before GA.

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PacificDogwood · 09/11/2012 21:28

Sim's?
Jackknife? Kraske??

'Tis an education

MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 21:30

Could be the sims . Karma sutra of anaesthetic positions.

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MegGriffin · 09/11/2012 21:32

Maybe they wanted to point and laugh at my bum?

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mosschops30 · 09/11/2012 21:32

pacific regardless of surgical position, you are not positioned before intubation (otherwise prone patients would be v difficult )

PacificDogwood · 09/11/2012 21:35

I know, mosschops, I am just googling randomly clutching at straws

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