Face Covered During PM Surgery

As I was still on the operating table coming out of the anesthesia I could feel that my face was covered with what seemed like fabric. I asked that my face be uncovered. I felt like I couldn't breathe. I must have passed out and as I again regained consciousness my face was still covered and I asked that whatever was covering my face be removed. By now I was in a panic and hyperventilating I remember the nurse/anesthesiologist saying they would uncovered my face shortly and finally they did and I could breathe better. Anyone have a similar experience? Why would my face be covered? Since I never saw the OR staff again I didn't get the chance to ask the question but the horrible feeling of suffocation comes back to me from time to time.

15 Comments

face uncovered

by Alma Annie - 2013-10-26 02:10:44

I woke up just as the pm was being inserted. I told EP that he was hurting me, but he said he wouldn't be long and to hang in there. I could see him and the anaesthetist so I did not have my face covered. I think I would have freaked out if it was covered.
Alma Annie.

Standard Practice...

by donr - 2013-10-26 02:10:50

...to create a sterile field completely surrounding the surgical site. Your face is not very far from the PM location, so they cover it w/ a sheet that continues down below the PM site to at least the abdomen. There is a hole cut in the sheet at the surgical site.

Since they are not generally working w/ general anesthesia, they do not need access to the airway, so they don't bother to raise the sheet. You are just sedated. I recall my first PM job, they sedated me before they covered my face & at one point, I was "awakened " by a nurse who picked up the edge of the sheet & started talking to me. She said something crazy, like "Hi there, just checking to see if you were still under here. How's it all going?" Ditto for my broken lead replacement & second PM install.

I had a foot repaired w/ a spinal block & sedation & they placed a sheet over my entire body, but raised it up at an angle so they had access to airways, etc. I recall awaking from the sedation & could not see anything but that sheet & the ceiling. I could talk to the DR. through the sheet & there was an anesthesiologist at my head that I could talk to.

Don

face uncovered

by Alma Annie - 2013-10-26 02:10:52

I woke up just as the pm was being inserted. I told EP that he was hurting me, but he said he wouldn't be long and to hang in there. I could see him and the anaesthetist so I did not have my face covered. I think I would have freaked out if it was covered.
Alma Annie.

As Don says the sheet is to

by janetinak - 2013-10-26 03:10:49

protect the wound site. I have had a frame with a sheet over my face fir 2 AV node ablations. & 3 PM insertions in 2 different hospitals. It was explained to me what was going on & why & the Nurse Anesthetist was there to talk to me. I believe they also put loose wrist restraints on too so I wouldn't reach up & touch anything. All OK with me as they gave me enough meds so didn't feel any pain altho awake for most if it.

Hope this helps.

Janet

Strange practice!

by PAMMY - 2013-10-26 04:10:59

Faces covered, restraints... sounds more like you guys overseas are having torture rather than medical treatment. Not sure if it's the same for everyone in the UK but when I had my PM implanted last week my body was covered with a plastic sheet with a portion cut out of it for where i was having the PM. and to stop any germs/infections etc from coughing or sneezing they put a bar which went high above my head and fastened a perspex plastic sheet over it and then tucked it under my chin so I could still see the cardiologist and nurses. I had local anaesthetic (no sedation) and i was asked whether i wanted to be told exactly what was being done to me as he (the cardiologist) was doing it which I did opt for so that if I felt anything strange at least i could understand why and also I knew when the operation was coming to an end.
Pam

I agree

by kiwigirl - 2013-10-26 05:10:57

I agree with you, I feel like I'm suffocating to, I hate having my head under anything.

I take it from what everyone has been saying, you all have general anaesthetic. every time I have had it replaced or even the first time it was inserted, it was under a local anaesthetic & could feel every tug & pull & hear everything that was being said. I hate it when it is time to have it replaced

Pam

by IAN MC - 2013-10-26 07:10:36

... you described my experience exactly. I actually enjoyed the procedure under local anaesthetic and found the discussion with the staff during the procedure to be extremely interesting.

Having your face covered is ludicrous and totally unnecessary

When I read on here about the dreadful experiences
which are inflicted on some people I do wonder if we should all ask more questions about the skills and techniques of some of these doctors before willingly offering our bodies to them.

Ian






NOT General Anesthesia

by donr - 2013-10-26 09:10:06

Mine was "merely" sedation. They still don't want to have any open parts of your body exposed to the immediate wound site. Infection is their concern.

I even had some "Minor" work done on the same foot w/ local anesthesia - no sedation. Still had a sheet between face & foot. But in this case, it wasn't over my face, just an optical barrier.

Forgot the wrist restraints - that keeps you from trying to roll over while being worked on. I can see it now - they are working on the abdomen w/ no wrist restraints. You suddenly roll over - that gives new meaning to "Spilling your guts"!

Wrist restraints are not especially comfy if you are totally conscious. I remember my nose itching & having the woman monitoring my vital signs having to scratch it for me! To me, they are more bothersome than the sheet over the face.

Don

Mine Wasn't Covered

by Many Blessings - 2013-10-26 09:10:44

I do not sedate with conscious sedation (although they always try) and was awake and speaking throughout my procedure. I wouldn't have liked it if my face was covered either.

I'm sure with my constant talking and visiting throughout the whole procedure, they were tempted more than once to cover mine!

I, like "Janetinak" above, had wrist and ankle restraints. I'm not a fan of those either, and asked if I could have them removed since I was awake, but they said no on both.

I wonder if next time you ask them not to cover your face before the procedure begins, if they'd do that for you? It might be a hospital procedure, which in that case, you may have to have it covered. Maybe you could ask for some stronger sedation if it really bothers you. It can't hurt to ask.

Tent

by Marie12 - 2013-10-26 10:10:31

Mine was more like a tent. I was awake throughout the entire procedure (with expection of when they tested the ICD). The tent was built with about 8-10 inches clearance from around my head and the right side was exposed so it didn't feel uncomfortable. Restraints??? Now that would have freaked me out.

Face Covered

by Grateful Heart - 2013-10-26 10:10:58

I had to have a lead revision and my Doctor wasn't able to do the surgery so his partner at the time did it. It was mild sedation and in the OR, this Doctor THREW a square drape over my face before the surgery. He literally tossed it and it landed on my face. My arms were restrained so I couldn't take it off and I felt like I couldn't breathe. Any other surgeries I have had, my face was never covered like that. Blocked sometimes, but not physically covered so it was pretty scary.

I woke up during him stitching me and told him I felt that stitch (and it hurt)!! He continued with 2 more stitches and I raised a leg each time....and someone pushed it down, so my legs weren't restrained. My face was still covered during all of this. I mentioned it to the recovery Nurse and he downplayed it and then said to give me extra pain medicine. NOW....after the fact!! I will never go back to him again.

I also had a Cardiac Cath with MINIMAL draping and watched on the monitor while the Doctor searched for blockages and had a conversation with him the whole time. I found that very interesting, watching it all on the monitor.

Grateful Heart

Not a clue

by Tick-tock - 2013-10-27 01:10:42

I was completely out during my pm implantation .i had previous failed attempts of twilight sedation that was more like torture. I was given 2 doses of versed prior to being transferred to the or table- however, it was not as affective as they thought. I wouldn't shut up they kept giving my oxygen trying to cover my mouth in hopes I'd stop fighting and fall asleep- finally I was given my final injection, and out cold and intubated. Next thing I remember was waking up in another room asking for morphine- went home 4 hours later;) I do recall them strapping me down to the table- I didn't like that, but understand the reasoning for it. The hospital I was at just got a new hybrid or room which they used me as a test drive for it. Out of my many surgeries, it was the best experience I've had.

Covered with a plastic sheet?

by Grateful Heart - 2013-10-27 01:10:47

Yikes!! That doesn't sound good either! Your body needs to breathe..... plastic will breed germs.

I guess no country has the lock on perfect medical procedures.

Grateful Heart

sterile procedure

by KathyB - 2013-10-27 11:10:17

drape over the face is usual for any sterile procedure done in the neck/chest area. usually you are asked to turn your head away from the side they are working, this helps alleviate the paper over face feeling. I was awake but sedated so that I could answer any questions and if I felt any pain could tell the doc so that he could fix it so it didn't hurt. Restraints? never heard of that during a simple pacemaker insertion, too many people around to remind you to keep your hand down.

Mod

by Mod - 2014-08-09 04:08:01

I had a panic attack too. They started to cover my face prepping for surgery. One nurse was not very kind when I told her I was freaking, another nurse yelled give her the shot now and that was it. I was out! Bless that second nurse!

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