Before surgery · Lungs & breathing
Asthma or COPD Before Surgery
Well-controlled asthma or COPD usually causes no problem with surgery. The goal is simple: keep your chest as settled as it can be, keep using your inhalers, and bring your reliever with you on the day.
The short answer
Why your lungs matter for surgery
Asthma and COPD make the airways more reactive. Anesthesia, breathing tubes and even the dry theatre air can irritate them, and in some people that triggers wheeze or tightening of the airways (bronchospasm). The single best protection is going in with your chest as calm and well-controlled as it can be — which mostly comes down to taking your usual treatment.
Keep your treatment going
- Don't stop your inhalers. Take your preventer and reliever exactly as usual, including on the morning of surgery.
- Bring your reliever (e.g. salbutamol) and a spacer into hospital — and your nebuliser if you use one.
- Mention steroid tablets. If you take regular steroids or have had recent courses for flare-ups, tell your team — it affects your anesthetic plan.
Get control optimised first
If your breathing has been more troublesome than usual — needing your reliever more often, waking at night, or worse on exertion — see your GP or asthma nurse before surgery rather than turning up mid-flare. A short course of treatment to settle things can be the difference between going ahead and being sent home.
Smoking and chest infections
Frequently asked questions
Should I keep using my inhalers before surgery?
Yes — keep taking your preventer and reliever inhalers exactly as normal, right up to and including the morning of surgery. Stopping them risks a flare-up at the worst possible time. Bring your reliever inhaler (and a spacer if you use one) into hospital with you.
Why do my lungs matter for anesthesia?
Anesthesia and breathing tubes can irritate sensitive airways and, in some people, trigger wheeze or bronchospasm. The better controlled your asthma or COPD is going in, the lower that risk — which is why teams want your chest settled and your inhalers on board.
Will surgery be cancelled if I'm having a flare-up?
Possibly. Operating during an asthma flare or a COPD exacerbation — or with a chest infection — is riskier, so non-urgent surgery is often postponed until your chest recovers. If your breathing has been worse than usual in the run-up, tell your team rather than pushing on.
What should I bring to hospital?
Bring all your inhalers (and spacer), a list of them with doses, and your nebuliser if you use one. If you're on steroid tablets or have had recent courses for flare-ups, mention that too — it's important information for your anesthetic.