Hi Alastair,
I've undergone a couple of foot surgeries for plantar fasciitis and neuromas while on Imatinib 400 mg. Both were done under general anesthesia (Propofol) so I was completely out. My surgical team used an Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) device on my leg which is used to help prevent blood clots in the deep veins of the legs. The device uses a cuff around the leg that fills with air and squeezes your leg. This increases blood flow through the veins of your leg and helps prevent blood clots.
I took my regular dose of Imatinib up until the day before surgery and started again the day after surgery. The only dose I missed was the day of surgery because I was instructed not to eat or drink anything after midnight the day of surgery. My hema/onc told me I could miss up to 2 weeks of Imatinib if my surgeon had any concern about interactions with other drugs.
I did not experience any interaction between the anesthesia and Imatinib at all. During my first surgery, however, I had a severe reaction between the hydrocodone/acetaminophen pain medication I was prescribed. The high dose of acetaminophen in combination with the Imatinib caused severe nausea/vomiting for about 6 hours. I was pretty miserable. My surgeon switched my pain med to Meloxicam (Mobic) and that solved the problem. When I had my second procedure about a year later, I specifically asked to be given a pain medication that did not contain acetaminophen. And, just in case, I also asked for an anti-nausea medication but, as it turned out, I did not need to take it. Because of that experience, I now avoid taking acetaminophen and use ibuprofen or naproxen for pain relief, when needed.
FYI, I was 67 and 68 years old at the time of my surgeries. I was not taking, nor do I currently take, any prescription medications other than Imatinib. I recently reduced my dosage to 200 mg.
Good luck with your surgery!
Debbie