ANESTHESIA: GENERAL

Anesthesia means the absence of sensation. Anesthetic drugs are given before a surgical procedure to lessen or stop the pain in part or all of the body. Anesthesia also blocks memory of the procedure, produces an unconscious state and relaxes muscles. General anesthesia affects all of the body by putting the whole patient into a type of deep sleep.

There are 3 parts to anesthesia:

sleep (unconscious state)
absence of pain and
absence of movement

It is usual to start with an injection of a medication to induce sleep and then follow with anesthetic gases and oxygen to continue the process. A tube will be placed in the throat, through the mouth, to help the patient breathe. For some operations, muscle relaxants will be used to keep the patient from moving during surgery. Often, a powerful analgesic (pain killer) will be added to the mixture. During the procedure the anesthetist will watch the heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and other signs.

The amount of anesthesia that is given depends on:

the type and length of the surgery and
the patient's age, weight, and medical conditions

Either a doctor (anesthesiologist) or a nurse (nurse anesthetist) will give the anesthesia. They will see the patient before surgery and ask several questions. These questions may include:

types and doses of medications, and when the last dose was taken
any allergies to medications, tape, plastics, or latex
any loose teeth, dentures, bridges, or contact lenses
the type and location of surgery
any past problems with anesthesia or family problems with anesthesia
any possibility of pregnancy or breastfeeding and
any history of any medical problems

After surgery, anesthesia is stopped. Short acting drugs simply wear off. Anesthetic gases are replaced by air or oxygen. Special drugs may be needed to reverse the effects of muscle relaxants and painkillers. Once awake, the patient's breathing tube will be removed.

Short-term anesthetics, used for short and same-day surgical procedures, wear off quickly. Other general anesthetics wear off more slowly.

General anesthesia side effects that may occur after surgery include:

nausea and vomiting
headache
dry mouth
temporary loss of memory
lingering tiredness
shivering and trembling with or without feeling cold
blurred or double vision
muscle pain
dizziness
sore throat or hoarseness and
nightmares or unusual dreams

Medications can help relieve these side effects. General anesthesia patients should not eat until they are awake and can swallow comfortably. They should not plan on driving a car or making any important decisions for at least 24 hours after the surgery. Post-surgical instructions should be carefully followed.

The provider should be called if any of the following symptoms begin within 2 weeks of having a general anesthetic:

unable to urinate
severe headache
pain in the abdomen
back or leg pain
severe nausea
bloody or coffee ground looking vomit
unusual weakness or tiredness
weakness in the wrist or fingers
weight loss or loss of appetite
increase or decrease in the amount of urine
pale skin or
yellow color to the whites of the eyes

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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