Can operations trigger AF?

Saw my gynaecologist today. I need an op. to remove (almost certainly benign) polyps I would prefer a local anaesthetic if possible. He is willing to try this, but is concerned my vagal AF might kick in because the vagal nerve runs very near the uterus. On the other hand, since my AF always starts when I am at rest and presumably when my HR is low, I wonder if it is equally likely to kick in when I am anaesthetised. And what are the risks if either of these scenarios comes to pass? Would I then be at high risk of thrombosis? Please, does anyone know? I am wondering if it would on balance be safer to leave the polyps where they are.

Alexnadra,

I had the same concern a couple years ago when I had surgery for hernia repair.
I told the doctors about my concern that I might go into AF during the procedure.
I, too, have exclusively vagal AF episodes.
I did not go into AF during the surgery.
Good luck to you.

I had to have a kidney stone treated a few months ago, which requires full anathesia. I had to fast all day, and was feeling stressed and worried about the procedure and my heart was in AFib all day. I have vagal AFib as well. They put me under, while my heart was in AFib (they didn't seem to be worried). When I woke up, my heart wasn't in AFib, and I felt great. So it stopped at some point during the procedure.

When the blood thinner, coumadin started me bleeding inside, soon as they took me to the hospital, in the room, I went into Afib, and still in Afib year later...I think it was a med. that they gave me after I got in my room there..I was doing so great before that....but sounds like mine was different from you and the other guys, so I'd see what the Dr. says...Lot's of luck...Nel

I had surgery, with full anesthesia,( but with a Zanax before hand), to remove a tumor in my bladder three years ago, and did not have any issues, I had oral surgery a few months ago, with local and Versed, a monster version of a "pam" drug to give me amnesia, and did not have a problem then either. It did not give me amnesia, though. I remember everything, but I didn't care at the time.

As long as your docs are aware of the possibility of AF, you should be OK. If you need the surgery, you need it. If you don't need the surgery, then why do it? Only you and your docs can say if it is worth the small possible risk of AF.

If you do decide to have it, take the Zanax (or equivilent, meaning something ending with "pam" ) if they offer it to you pre-surgery. That itself is protection against an attack, IMO. Bring it up during your pre-surgery consultation.

lisa
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So much of medicine is looking solely down the wrong end of the gun barrel, and that is really a pity for all of us---Shannon

Thanks so much everyone for your comments and reassurance. SO helpful! I might even print them off to show to my gynaecologist as he is obviously feeling a bit nervous. BTW he told me that they sometimes give Flecainide to pregnant women when the foetus has heart problems! Nel, I'm so sorry to hear about your bad experience & outcome. I do hope they can stop your AF soon. I'll just have to hope that I'll fare better. Lisa, it's quite hard for me or my Doc to weigh up whether this op. is worth the risk. I was found to have some polyps in my uterus in the course of a hysteroscopy I had for another reason. I have no symptoms from them. There is only a very small chance they are malignant. However, the orthodox medical opinion is that they should come out. Equally, to choose NOT to have the op would not be considered terribly reckless.

Alexandra - if you don't fast well, you can request ahead of time that you be given a glucose IV solution so that your blood sugar stays stable which means you are less likely to have the afib as a result of a long fast. In that IV they can also add magnesium which is known to prevent the occurrence of arrhythmia during surgery.
Jackie

Jackie, thanks, I'll certainly do that.