Dear Doctor: Your surgeon asked you to choose your own anesthesia — a doctor says that's not your call to make

2 months ago 7
Dr. Keith Roach is a physician at Weill Cornell Medical College. He writes an educational column on infectious diseases, public health and sports medicine.

Dear Dr. Roach: I’m 78 years old and in pretty good health. I walk 3 miles four times a week, bike 8 miles once a week, and lift weights twice a week. Besides eye drops for glaucoma, the only medication I take is 20 mg of lovastatin each day. Due to corneal edema, I’ll be having a partial cornea transplant. My surgeon has asked me to decide which anesthesia I want: MAC or LMA. Can you explain the difference between them? Any advice or insights regarding these two forms of anesthesia would be helpful. -- C.W.S.

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