Aerobic Capacity Following General Anethesia?

wrote: (clip) My explanation is that
capillaries in the lungs are permanently damaged from no inflation during
surgery.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That makes some sense. If the capillaries are damaged, this could affect
the ability of oxygen to migrate into the bloodstream. But, since you
mention lack of inflation, I wonder whether you really meant to say the air
sacs in the lungs lose some of their elasticity, something like emphyzema.

In another thread, there has been an ongoing discussion about the possible
after effects of antibiotics on performance during recovery. Is this
possibly related to the problem we are discussing here?

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
Anybody had the chance to compare their capacity before/after undergoing general
anesthesia?

Had my gallbladder out in August and my take is that I'm still running at only
about 60-70% of what I was before.

Endurance is ok, but hills and top end cruising speed are still noticeably
deficient.

Anybody else?

Armstrong had fairly major surgery to remove brain tumours. It didn't
seem to affect him much in the long term.


--
Removed z before replying by email.

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote: General anesthesia or a spinal?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Spinal.

This is not conditioning but aerobic capacity. You have no idea how
hard I must breathe to climb hills.
Jobst Brandt

I do have an idea! Even I passed you up OLH; you were huffing like a
steam engine... although it COULD be the 20 year age differential... .
No anaethesia for me!

George

But did he (Lance Armstrong) have general anaesthesia?
--
PeteCresswell

Yeah. They opened up his head, gouged out his tumors, and gave him a
couple of aspirin for his discomfort. Yeah, he probably had a local,
which explains why he still can climb... .
Sincerely, George

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote
Anybody had the chance to compare their capacity before/after undergoing
general
anesthesia?

Had my gallbladder out in August and my take is that I'm still running at
only
about 60-70% of what I was before.

Endurance is ok, but hills and top end cruising speed are still noticeably
deficient.

Anybody else?

I have two small data points:

Many years ago, I suddenly found that I was completely out of breath just
walking across campus. An x-ray showed that I had "spontaneous pneumothorax"
which healed itself within a couple of weeks or so. For a fairly reliable
note on the subject, see
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pneumothorax/HQ01228
The note says that "A partially collapsed lung may slowly re-expand without
treatment. But a severe collapse will probably never re-expand on its own
and may require surgery if untreated."

In the following reference, the Mayo Clinic says that "collapsed lung" can
result from heavy sedation.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/atelectasis/AN00775

A couple of weeks ago I had general anestheselogy and probably was out for a
couple of hours. I did my usual 30 mile ride the day before the surgery and
a couple of days after and did not notice any difference. I wish I had known
about the potential problem before the surgery so that I could have been a
little more observent.

wrote:

[many relevant details +]
I don't know but mitral valve replacement is fairly deep.

OK, I see in fact there are a lot of factors here. If you got a ball
and cage or other mechanical replacement, that would explain it all.
Pig valves are better but still not the original.

By the way you are in good company. Do you remember Ron Clarke (AUS)?
Track (running), world record holder, 10,000m. Then there is Ahnuld....


http://chppcor.stanford.edu/news/537

These reports seem to indicate a previous cavalier attitude about the
sub ject.

Absolutely. Remember also that ether used to be used as an anesthetic.
However, I don't think it is the source of your problem It is
definitely not the capillaries. Damaged capillaries leak and that would
have been very noticeable, in a different way.

It's like the titanium wire sutures the heart guys wanted to
leave in my breast bone... because most old farts who have such surgery
are fat and have lots of padding there.

Actually I think such surgery is more common for younger people (age
40-55?). I suspect your high level of conditioning allowed you to get
along with the old valve for much longer than normal.

Per Leo Lichtman:
In my own case, I restarted riding after a hip replacement, and my
perception is that the only losses I experienced were due to the ten years
that didn't ride.

General anesthesia or a spinal?
--
PeteCresswell

Per Martin:
Armstrong had fairly major surgery to remove brain tumours. It didn't
seem to affect him much in the long term.

But did he have general anesthesia?
--
PeteCresswell

George wrote:
But did he (Lance Armstrong) have general anaesthesia?
--
PeteCresswell

Yeah. They opened up his head, gouged out his tumors, and gave him a
couple of aspirin for his discomfort. Yeah, he probably had a local,
which expla ins why he still can climb... .

Well, brain surgery is typically performed with the patient still
conscious, because you need their input to tell you where not to zap.
Brain tissue has no pain receptors of its own. Don't mind the circular
saw through the skull while we get there though...

Dr Penfield anyone? (Google: Wilder Penfield)i