Is an allergy test required before anesthesia?
Disease description:
Recently, I was preparing for pregnancy and went to the hospital for a checkup. The doctor diagnosed me with cervical polyps and recommended a polypectomy. Before the procedure, anesthesia is required. I would like to ask if an allergy test is needed prior to the anesthesia.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Xiaoyan
Whether preoperative anesthesia requires an allergy test mainly depends on the patient's specific condition. Generally, for the average person, the likelihood of an allergic reaction to anesthetic drugs is very low; therefore, related allergy tests are rarely conducted in routine practice. For patients with allergic constitutions, preoperative allergy testing for anesthesia may be necessary. This is primarily because certain patients might be allergic to specific components in anesthetic agents. For example, patients allergic to soy products may face risks when receiving intravenous anesthesia containing propofol. Therefore, if a patient has an allergic constitution, it is important to obtain as detailed an understanding as possible of the types of allergens and to communicate thoroughly with both the surgeon and anesthesiologist, so that the medical team can make safer and more effective preparations based on the patient's individual condition.
