Anesthesia Warning Information

Anesthesia and Polio Survivors

Scroll down for printable Anesthesia Warning Card and Symptom Checklist

Polio Survivors with Post-Polio Sequelae (PPS) often have all or some of the following symptoms:

EASILY SEDATED and can be difficult to wake
Can Have Difficulty BREATHING and SWALLOWING with Anesthesia
HYPERSENSITIVE to PAIN and COLD.
May need a heated blanket and increased pain medication post-op
Additionally, Polio Survivors with Post-Polio Sequelae also experience:
- Overwhelming Fatigue
- Muscle Weakness
- Muscle and Joint Pain
- Sleep Disorders
- Cold Intolerance
- Difficulty Swallowing
- Difficulty Breathing
- Sensitivity to Anesthesia

Related Resources:

Diagnosing PPS

Anesthesia Warning Card

Symptom Checklist & Treatment Warnings

Please read the following information when determining the treatment plan for any Polio Survivor

Anaesthesia and Surgery - A Guide for People with a History of Polio
- Polio Services Victoria, Australia
Anesthesia Specifics for Post-Polio Syndrome
- by Selma H. Calmes, MD
Breathing Outcomes: Post-Poliomyelitis Syndrome (PPS)
- by John Bach, MD
Polio Patients and Surgery
- from Polio Denmark
Post-Polio Syndrome and Anesthesia
- by David A. Lambert, M.D.; Eleni Giannouli, M.D.; Brian J. Schmidt, M.D. for Anesthesiology Magazine
Preparing for Surgery for Post-Polio or Other Chronic Respiratory Disorder Patients
- by Norma M. Braun, MD
Preventing Complications in Polio Survivors Undergoing Surgery
- by Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD
Preventing Complications in Polio Survivors Undergoing Surgery (Dental)
- by Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD
Summary of Anesthesia Issues for the Post-Polio Patient [PDF Download]
- by Selma Calmes, MD

Available in English and Spanish

Click, Download, Print, and put it in your wallet.
Note: This PDF Version for download will give a clear image when printed.
Thank you John Bach, MD, Norma Braun, MD, Richard Bruno, PhD, Selma Calmes, MD, William M. DeMayo, MD and Richard Rosenstein DO for your advice and support in this 2023 updated project.

Anesthesia Warning Card

Symptom Checklist and Treatment Warnings for Polio Survivors

Click to Download
This is an easily printable document for you to give to your family and physician.
You can place it with your important "care" documents and take it to your primary care physician.
This original document, published in 2021 was the idea of and reviewed by Daniel J. Wilson, PhD. Thank you Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD and Marny K. Eulberg, MD for reviewing the updated version published in 2023.

Anesthesia Warning Card for Download (English)

Foldable Wallet Size
Warning Card (Click on each image for front and back)

Tarjeta de advertencia de anestesia (español)

Spanish - Anesthesia Warning Card Front-01.png

Spanish - Anethesia Warning Card Back-01.png

Anesthesia Articles & Resources:

Featured

Other Contributor

anesthesia, Polio Victoria, Polio Australia

Patients With A Polio History – What Anaesthetists Need To Know

Other Contributor

anesthesia, Polio Victoria, Polio Australia

Other Contributor

anesthesia, Polio Victoria, Polio Australia

Other Contributor

anesthesia, Polio Australia, St. Vincents Melbourne, surgery

Anaesthesia and Surgery - A Guide for People with a History of Polio

Other Contributor

anesthesia, Polio Australia, St. Vincents Melbourne, surgery

Other Contributor

anesthesia, Polio Australia, St. Vincents Melbourne, surgery

Selma H. Calmes, MD

Selma Calmes, anesthesia, swallowing, swallowing difficulties, surgery

Anesthesia Specifics for Post-Polio Syndrome

Selma H. Calmes, MD

Selma Calmes, anesthesia, swallowing, swallowing difficulties, surgery

Selma H. Calmes, MD

Selma Calmes, anesthesia, swallowing, swallowing difficulties, surgery

Polio Network

anesthesia, breathing, ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, John Bach, post-poliomyelitis syndrome

Breathing Outcomes: Post-Poliomyelitis Syndrome (PPS)

Polio Network

anesthesia, breathing, ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, John Bach, post-poliomyelitis syndrome

Polio Network

anesthesia, breathing, ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, John Bach, post-poliomyelitis syndrome

Polio Network

polio history, ventilation, Breathing, iron lung, Advocacy, anesthesia, Hannah Wunsch, video, Pamela Sergey, book review

Medical Advances as a Result of Polio -”The Autumn Ghost”

Polio Network

polio history, ventilation, Breathing, iron lung, Advocacy, anesthesia, Hannah Wunsch, video, Pamela Sergey, book review

"I hope this will help people remember what it was like BEFORE the vaccine. It was an eye-opener for me to see how much advocacy comes from polio survivors.“

By the PA Polio Network

Polio Network