Anesthesia is always associated with a certain risk, so it is important to inform the anesthesiologist (anesthesiologist) of any abnormalities, diseases or a cold. For this purpose, the anesthesiologist who is present during the surgery always has a conversation with the patient before each surgery to inform him/her about risks and possible complications. Normally, surgery under anesthesia has a very low risk, however, it is important that the patient is absolutely honest and open with the anesthesiologist so that he or she has the exact information about how the patient feels and what his or her concerns might be.
Anaesthesia despite a cold is usually possible, but this depends on the type and length of the operation and the severity of the cold. Again, it is important not to present the symptoms of the cold too badly or too well, because a cold can become a problem during anesthesia if the anesthetist was not properly informed. In the case of a cold, the patient’s airways swell up slightly and the glands in the lungs produce increased mucus secretion.
This mucusy secretion (known as cough mucus) and the swollen airways can cause the patient to breathe poorly or feel that he or she has to cough all the time. These are of course not ideal conditions for an operation. However, as long as the cold is within reasonable limits, anesthesia is almost not a problem at all, despite the cold.
Nevertheless, the swollen airways and the viscous mucus can pose a certain risk, especially if complications occur during the operation and the patient may need to have a breathing tube inserted into the trachea (intubation). Since such complications are very rare during surgery, even severe colds are not really a problem, but doctors are very careful and must take into account any possible risks and deviations. However, in most operations under general anesthesia, ventilation is planned from the outset.
Accordingly, anesthesia is not appropriate for severe colds, as complications during surgery would only cause unnecessary problems. Nevertheless, it is generally true that a patient who only has a mild to moderate cold can still receive an anesthetic, as today’s medicine has reached a point where the cold is not an obstacle or a greater risk. Especially otherwise healthy patients should mention the cold to the anesthesiologist, but should not worry about it, as it will not interfere with the operation.
However, if the cold gets acutely worse before the operation, or if the patient feels that the anesthesia has severely impaired breathing, the operation can be postponed for a day or two so that the patient can regain his or her strength before undergoing the operation. This can be the case especially during larger and longer lasting operations or during operations where the patient has to be ventilated with a ventilator. In this case, even a moderate cold can present a certain risk, so it is better to wait until the cold has subsided before starting the operation.
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