Travel After Anesthesia

What is anesthesia?

Anesthesia refers to the use of medicines to prevent awareness, pain, or discomfort during some medical tests, treatments, surgery, and other procedures.

There are 3 types of anesthesia:

• Local anesthesia: Numbs or blocks pain in a small, specific area of the body
• Regional anesthesia: Numbs or blocks pain in a larger area of the body
• General anesthesia: Causes a complete loss of consciousness. General anesthesia is often described as a “deep sleep.”  But, unlike normal sleep, your child will not feel sensations, such as pain.

Your child may also receive sedation medicines that help them feel relaxed and sleepy. They will not go to sleep, but they may be less aware and may not remember much of the procedure.

Your child might get local or regional anesthesia along with sedation or general anesthesia. Learn more about anesthesia.

Recovery after anesthesia

Recovery after anesthesia is the time it takes for your child’s body to return to normal after they receive anesthetic medicines. This can depend on factors such as your child’s age, overall health, the type of procedure, the duration of anesthesia, and the type and amount of anesthesia medicines used.

After anesthesia, your child will be taken to a recovery area for monitoring. Nurses watch heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and alertness to be sure your child can safely leave the recovery area. The length of time can vary based on how quickly your child wakes and recovers from anesthesia.

Anesthesia medicine can stay in your child’s body for up to 24 hours or longer. Watch your child closely during the first 24 hours after anesthesia. During or after anesthesia, your child may:

• Have trouble breathing
• Be sleepy or hard to wake up
• Not be able to move or function normally
• Be confused, upset, or act differently

If problems happen while traveling in a car or plane, it will be harder to get your child medical help right away.

Always check with your care team for travel guidelines specific to your child's procedure.

When to travel after a minor procedure

After a minor procedure, your child can usually travel by car as soon as they are discharged from recovery. However, wait at least 4 hours before flying. During this time, stay near the hospital in case your child needs help. Minor procedures may include:

• Imaging tests, such as MRI, CT scan, or nuclear medicine scan
• Radiation therapy
• Some eye procedures
• Procedures that involve a small incision (cut in the skin), such as:
  • Lumbar puncture
  • Bone marrow biopsy
  • PICC line placement
  • Subcutaneous port removal

When to travel after a major procedure

For major procedures, your child may need to stay overnight in the hospital or in a nearby housing facility or until your care team decides it is safe for your child to travel. Major procedures may include:

• Surgery that involves a cut in the skin and other tissues
• Placement of a central venous line

Special cases

Some children may need extra care after anesthesia. Reasons your child might have additional monitoring during anesthesia recovery include:

• They have health problems, such as heart or lung conditions, or past breathing problems.
• They had problems with anesthesia in the past.
• They are infants, especially if they were born early (premature). Babies may have irregular breathing after anesthesia and are at higher risk for apnea (pauses in breathing). 

Questions to ask about travel after anesthesia

• How long should we wait before traveling by car or plane after anesthesia?
• What symptoms should I watch for after anesthesia?
• Is my child at higher risk for problems after anesthesia?
• What should I do if my child becomes sleepy, confused, or has trouble breathing after anesthesia?
• Should we stay near the hospital after anesthesia in case of a problem?
• Whom should I contact if I have concerns while traveling?

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