IVA Issues Urgent Health Alert: What People of Venezuelan Ancestry Should Know and Do Before Receiving Anesthesia
CHICAGO, IL — February 6, 2026 — The Illinois Venezuelan Alliance (IVA) is issuing an urgent medical alert to the Venezuelan community in Illinois and the medical providers who serve them. New guidance from the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia (SPA) has shared that children and young adults of maternal Venezuelan ancestry have been observed to be at risk for complications following routine general anesthesia. This information was learnt through discussions with multiple Latin American Anesthesiology Societies.
Previously healthy appearing young adult and pediatric patients of maternal Venezuelan descent have been observed to develop unexpected catastrophic outcomes, including severe brain damage and death, after exposure to common inhaled anesthetics (volatile gases) like sevoflurane. A rare mitochondrial genetic mutation (ND4), inherited from the mother, is believed to be the causative factor.
IVA’s Position on Community Safety:
Our mission is to protect our people, including their physical safety, in the healthcare system. IVA has initiated a campaign to ensure that every Venezuelan family in Illinois is well-informed before undertaking any medical procedure. IVA urges each Venezuelan to identify their ancestry before any surgery to support the medical community in their search for the proper anesthetic treatment. The Venezuelan community must follow the medical protocols related to the use of safe anesthetic alternatives set by the hospital system in Illinois.
Key Information for the Community:
Identify Your Heritage: The risk is linked to maternal (mother’s) Venezuelan lineage. Please help support safe anesthesia care for yourself or your child
When asked: Is your mother/grandmother or your child’s mother/grandmother of Venezuelan ancestry? Or Have any of your relatives had a bad reaction or complication after receiving anesthesia? Please answer.
Speak Up: Before any procedure involving anesthesia, tell your doctor: " My mother or Grandmother is of Venezuelan ancestry, and I am aware of the ND4 mutation and anesthesia risk. What alternative anesthetic drugs may I receive?"
Surgery is Still Safe: Doctors can use alternative sedative or anesthetic techniques that are currently considered safe for those with this mutation.
Call to Action for Chicago Medical Providers:
IVA supports all Illinois hospitals and clinics that have already implemented immediate screening protocols for patients of maternal Venezuelan descent. We urge anesthesiologists to follow the latest ASA/SPA guidance (Jan 27, 2026) to prevent severe risk during routine general anesthesia for individuals of maternal Venezuelan ancestry.
About IVA: The Illinois Venezuelan Alliance is a community-led organization dedicated to protecting and empowering the Venezuelan diaspora.
Media Contact: Luciano Pedota. IVA Executive Director (847) 638-4059 luciano.pedota@gmail.com
