Anesthesia is from the Greek word, meaning a loss of sensation. It is due to anesthesia, that major, invasive and painful procedures are being able to be performed in modern day with little or minimal distress to the patient.
What are the main types of anesthesia ?
- General anesthesia: The patient is asleep, by using intravenous or gaseous medications. Ventilator support is required to aid in breathing.
- Regional anesthesia: This can be either central or peripheral. Central anesthesia is when anesthetic drugs are given directly into or around the spinal cord, thereby blocking the spinal nerves (such as epidural or spinal anesthesia). Advantages of this method include the patient being conscious and ventilation not being needed (provided the spinal block is not given high in the spinal cord). Peripheral regional anesthesia can be given to peripheral nerves like the femoral or tibial nerves.
- Local anesthesia: This is when the anesthetic is put topically or locally on one site, topically, subcutaneously or via injection.As modern medicine is progressing with leaps and bounds, anesthesia has become significantly safer resulting in a dramatic improvement in anesthesia-related mortality rates. Nevertheless, anesthesia and anesthetic drugs can still bring about adverse events in some surgical patients.
What are the important complications of general anesthesia ?
- Pain
- Nausea and vomiting, especially whilst recovery from anesthesia
- Sore throat and laryngeal damage (due to intubation)
- Anaphylaxis or allergy to anaesthetic agents (very low incidence reported)
- Cardiovascular collapse
- Respiratory depression
- Aspiration pneumonitis – seen more in children (food going into airways). That is why being empty stomach is so important for the procedure
- Hypothermia (lesser temperature) or Hypoxia (lesser oxygen)
- Nerve injury (by direct hit to the nerve)
- Awareness during anaesthesia (being awake during the procedure, this incidence is also very rare)
- Embolism (air, thrombus, venous or arterial bubble moving in the circulation)
- Backache
- Headache
- Idiosyncratic reactions to specific anesthetic agents (this means reactions not seen normally)
- Death
What are the important complications of regional anesthesia ?
- Pain – One quarter of patients still experience pain despite the use of spinal anesthesia.
- Hypotension and bradycardia (lower blood pressure & slowed heart rate)
- Limb damage from sensory and motor block
- Headache due to CSF Leak
- Respiratory failure if the block is given too high in the Spinal Cord
- Direct nerve damage
- Spinal infection or meningitis
- Hematoma or a bleed induced in the spinal cord
- Anaphylaxis or allergy to anaesthetic agents (very low incidence reported)
- Urinary retention
What are the important complications of local anesthesia ?
- Pain
- Paresthesia or altered sensation by nerve damage
- Bleeding and haematoma formation
- Infection or necrosis of tissue
How can you get help to prevent anesthesia complications ?
When your doctor decides the type of anesthesia, it is best to have a detailed discussion with him on her on the entire procedure. Be sure you comprehend the pre-operative instructions and follow them fastidiously along with any other special instructions. Once you are admitted in the hospital, discuss the procedure with your doctor and health-care givers. If you can’t, then get a friend or relative to discuss with the doctors. As part of your case history, do not forget to tell your doctors any medical details. These should necessarily include names of all the prescription and non-prescription drugs you are taking, any dietary supplements, and herbal preparations you are taking. This definitely helps to avoid any possible, unwanted drug interactions that may occur. Lastly, feel free to discuss your health and drugs with health care professionals and do not shy away from asking questions.
Disclaimer: The content provided here is meant for general informational purposes only and hence SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, care or evaluation by a qualified doctor/physician or other relevantly qualified healthcare provider.
