The anesthesiologist must watch each patient closely for potential complications. One of the potential complications is anesthesia aspiration. This occurs when a patient cannot swallow or vomits up food from his or her stomach until his or her lungs. This can lead to aspiration pneumonia and it can make it difficult to get enough oxygen. Sometimes these feelings can carry on for a few days or weeks after the operation but this does not mean that your brain has been damaged.
Brain damage is caused by the death or damage of brain cells. This can occur as a result of a wide range of causes, including major head injury or severe infections like meningitis. However, in the context of an anaesthetic, it usually occurs because the brain cells are deprived of oxygen in some way.
Commonly during a stroke, a blood clot blocks the blood supply to part of the brain. If the blood supply has been stopped, no oxygen will be able to reach that part and if the blood supply is not restored quickly, the cells in that area will die or be damaged.
It is usually the combined effects of the surgery and the anaesthetic that cause the stroke. A stroke can happen up to 10 days after surgery. Very, very rarely, brain damage can be caused by not getting enough oxygen to the brain.
This might be caused by problems putting in the breathing tube. The breathing tube allows oxygen to be delivered to the lungs, and therefore the brain, during an anaesthetic. All anaesthetists have had extensive training and are expert in giving an anaesthetic and looking after you during the operation. Your anaesthetist will either be a doctor who's specialised in anaesthesia, or another type of health professional supervised by a senior anaesthetic doctor.
Your anaesthetist will see you before your operation and ask about:. They will explain about the operation you are due to have. They will use all the information you have discussed to give you the type of anaesthetic that is best and safest for you. During the operation your anaesthetist and their assistant will be with you the whole time.
From the time of the initial anaesthetic and throughout the operation they will use a number of monitors. These give the anaesthetist information about your heart, your breathing and the anaesthetic being given.
Your anaesthetist will use the information given by these monitors, along with their clinical expertise, to keep you safe. If the surgery is done as an emergency then the simple answer is that there is little you can do.
If, however, your surgery is planned for some time in the future then there are several things that you can do to minimise your personal level of risk:. I have surgery on tuesday for the investigqtion of adno minal pains. Despite having three general anesthic surgies last year i am territerrified of going under. Last time i was uncontrollable in the Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.
If they receive too much, they may go into a coma, their heart rate may drop dangerously low, or they could die. Severe drop in blood oxygen levels: Anesthesia can have adverse effects if administered improperly, which can kill the patient, cause serious brain damage, damage vital tissues, and do other serious harm.
Incorrect intubation: This can cause respiratory problems, speech problems, damage to internal organs, and more. Categories Medical Malpractice. Brown and his colleagues are working to develop drugs to help patients more quickly emerge and recover from general anesthesia. Anesthesia is generally considered quite safe for most patients. By some estimates, the death rate from general anesthesia is about 1 in , patients.
Side effects have become less common and are usually not as serious as they once were. If you have concerns, talk with your doctor. It might help to meet in advance with the person who will give you anesthesia.
Ask what kind of anesthesia you will have. Ask about possible risks and side effects. Knowing more might help you feel less concerned about going under. Editor: Harrison Wein, Ph. Managing Editor: Tianna Hicklin, Ph. Illustrator: Alan Defibaugh. Attention Editors: Reprint our articles and illustrations in your own publication.
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