How long anaesthesia

It is given before minor surgeries, such as removal of a toenail. This reduces pain sensations in a small, focused areas of the body, but the person receiving the treatment remains conscious.

Regional anesthesia is another type. This numbs an entire portion of the body — the lower half, for example, during childbirth. There are two main forms of regional anesthesia: Spinal anesthetic and epidural anesthetic. Spinal anesthetic is used for surgeries of the lower limbs and abdomen. This is injected into the lower back and numbs the lower body. Epidural anesthesia is often used to reduce the pain of childbirth and lower limb surgery.

This is administered to the area around the spinal cord through a small catheter instead of a needle injection. There are a number of reasons why general anesthesia may be chosen over local anesthesia.

In some instances, the patient is asked to choose between general and local anesthetic. However, using general anesthetic poses a higher risk of complications than local anesthesia.

If the surgery is more minor, an individual may choose local as a result, especially if they have a underlying condition, such as sleep apnea. Before general anesthesia is administered, patients will have a pre-surgery assessment to determine the most appropriate drugs to use, the quantities of those drugs and in which combination.

It is essential that these questions are answered accurately. For instance, if a history of alcohol or drug use is not mentioned, an inadequate amount of anesthesia might be given which could lead to dangerously high blood pressure or unintended intraoperative awareness. Modern anesthetics and updated delivery methods have improved the speed of onset, general safety, and recovery, but the four stages remain essentially the same:. Stage 1, or induction: This phase occurs between the administration of the drug and the loss of consciousness.

The patient moves from analgesia without amnesia to analgesia with amnesia. Stage 2, or excitement stage: The period following a loss of consciousness, characterized by excited and delirious activity. Breathing and heart rate becomes erratic, and nausea, pupil dilation, and breath-holding might occur. Because of irregular breathing and a risk of vomiting, there is a danger of choking.

Modern, fast-acting drugs aim to limit the time spent in stage 2 of anesthesia. Stage 3, or surgical anesthesia: Muscles relax, vomiting stops and breathing is depressed. Eye movements slow and then cease.

The patient is ready to be operated on. Stage 4, or overdose: Too much medication has been administered, leading to brain stem or medullary suppression. This results in respiratory and cardiovascular collapse. The exact mechanisms that conspire to produce the state of general anesthesia are not well known. The general theory is that their action is induced by altering the activity of membrane proteins in the neuronal membrane, possibly by making certain proteins expand.

The anesthesiologist, surgeon, or someone on the nursing staff will give you instructions about not eating or drinking before surgery.

It's important to make sure you don't eat anything prior to surgery usually nothing after midnight the day before the operation. You'll get specific instructions based on your age, medical condition, and the time of day of the procedure.

Why is eating before surgery an issue? Because the body normally has reflexes that prevent food from being aspirated or inhaled into the lungs when it's swallowed or regurgitated thrown up. But anesthetic medications can suspend these reflexes, which could cause food to become inhaled into the lungs if there is vomiting or regurgitation under anesthesia.

Sometimes, though, the anesthesiologist will say it's OK to drink clear liquids or take specific medications a few hours before surgery. To ensure your safety during the surgery, you'll need to answer all of the anesthesiologist's questions as honestly and thoroughly as possible. Things that may seem harmless could interact with or affect the anesthesia and how you react to it.

You also can ask plenty of your own questions. If you don't meet the anesthesiologist before the day of the operation, you may want to ask your doctor or surgeon the following questions beforehand so you can have all the answers you need:. You might be given a sedative before going into the operating room, but for minor procedures, this might not be needed.

In fact, some people may prefer not to be sedated. The decision of whether or not to sedate you beforehand is made by the anesthesiologist, using your input.

If general anesthesia is used, the anesthesiologist will start transitioning you from the normal awake state to the sleepy state of anesthesia.

This is called induction , which is usually done by either injecting medicine through an IV or by inhaling gases through a mask. If, like lots of people, you're afraid of needles, the good news is that you may not have to get one while awake. Anesthesiologists often will begin the induction process by using a breathing mask to help you relax. The mask delivers medication to make you sleepy before and during the surgery.

That way, you won't be awake when the IV is inserted for general anesthesia or when a shot is given to numb a certain part or area of the body for local or regional anesthesia. When using general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist will monitor your vital signs, continue to deliver anesthesia, and keep you as comfortable as possible throughout the operation. If you have any of the following conditions, be sure to tell your doctor because these conditions can affect how well you do during and after surgery:.

Some experts estimate that about 1 out of every 1, people regain consciousness but remain unable to move, talk, or otherwise alert their doctor. Other sources report it being even more rare, as infrequent as 1 out of 15, or 1 out of 23, However, operative awareness can be very distressing and may cause long-term psychological problems, similar to post-traumatic stress disorder.

If you experience operative awareness under general anesthesia, you may find it beneficial to talk to a therapist or a counselor about your experience.

Depending on the type of surgery, this can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Your doctor will likely recommend general anesthesia if your procedure is going to:. General anesthesia is essentially a medically induced coma. Your doctor will walk you through your individual options when planning for your procedure. When you talk with your surgeon and anesthesiologist before the procedure, be sure to talk with them about your concerns and expectations.

You should also discuss your:. Following these instructions can help minimize some side effects of general anesthesia. Feeling dizzy? Read on to learn about how to get rid of dizziness and what may be causing it. Some quick remedies to try at home include staying….

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