about general anesthesia

Are you wondering about general anesthesia or general anesthesia and why doctors resort to it in surgeries? Follow us.

In the case of resorting to general anesthesia, the patient is completely unconscious and cannot feel any pain during the medical procedure he is undergoing, and general anesthesia includes the use of a mixture of drugs and inhaled anesthetic gases for the patient.

And you have to understand well that general anesthesia does not only mean hypnotizing the patient, but also works to numb the brain so that it does not respond to any pain signals or their neurological reflexes, and the anesthesiologist must have special training in this specialty, as he monitors the patient during the medical procedure Who is subject to him and monitors his vital signs and reassures his respiratory functions.

Why do doctors resort to general anesthesia?

The general anesthesia is chosen in cooperation with the physician treating the patient and recommends the most appropriate types of anesthesia for each patient according to his health condition and the type of medical procedure that the patient will undergo.

Among the most important recommendations for choosing medical anesthesia, are

The medical procedure that the patient will undergo will take a long time.

If the procedure will cause significant and significant amounts of blood to bleed.

The patient was exposed to cold weather.

If the procedure will affect breathing, especially chest or upper abdominal surgeries.

There are other types of anesthesia, such as local anesthesia, which is used for a small area, or general anesthesia for an entire area of ​​the body and the area where the medical procedure will be performed.

Are there any risks of general anesthesia?

In general, general anesthesia is one of the safest types of anesthesia, as most people are subjected to it, in addition to people who suffer from serious diseases. General anesthesia does not pose any danger to them, and in most cases the danger is due to the medical procedure that the patient undergoes.

Adults, the elderly, and those with serious illnesses are the most likely to have complications, especially when they undergo a major or complex medical procedure, and after the operation, some mental confusion or pneumonia may provoke them, and it may even lead to strokes and heart attacks, and there are some cases that increase the possibility of complications. During the process, most importantly:

smoking.

convulsions

Obstructive sleep apnea.

obesity

hypertension.

diabetes.

Diseases related to the heart, lung and kidneys.

Use of diuretics such as aspirin.

Having a previous history of excessive alcohol consumption.

Allergy to medicines.

Having a previous history of allergy to anesthetics.

These risks are related to the medical procedure that the patient is undergoing and not the general anaesthesia.

How do you prepare for general anesthesia?

General anesthesia works by a complete relaxation of the muscles in the alimentary canal that works to prevent the reflux of food, and stomach acid to the esophagus and lungs, as well as the breathing passages, so the patient must follow the doctor’s instructions regarding the prevention of food and drink before the surgical procedure.

The patient must fast for a period of no less than 6 hours before the medical procedure, and only a few light fluids can be taken, and the patient may take some regular medications with small doses of water during the fasting period, and of course the patient should discuss the medications he takes with the surgeon.

In some cases, the patient may need to stop some medications such as aspirin and some blood viscosity-lowering medications for at least a week before the medical procedure, as these medications may cause complications during surgery.

In addition, some vitamins and herbs may cause complications during surgery, so you should discuss all medications, vitamins and herbs that you are taking with your doctor before the procedure.

In the event that you have diabetes, you should discuss the therapeutic adjustments that may be changed during the fasting period before the surgery. In most cases, oral diabetes medications are not taken on the morning of the surgery, in addition to the fact that the doctor may recommend reducing the dose of insulin.

If the patient has a history of sleep suffocation, he should discuss this problem with the doctor before surgery, as this patient needs more monitoring during surgery.

What to expect during general anesthesia?

Before the surgical procedure

Before the patient undergoes surgery and general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist talks with the patient and must ask him about several things, the most important of which are:

health history

All medications, nutritional supplements and herbs that the patient is taking.

Allergy.

No previous experiences with anesthesia.

During the surgical procedure

In most cases, the patient is given anesthetics through a vein in the arm, and in some cases, respiratory gas may be used through a face mask. This is the best method for children.

As soon as the patient sleeps, a breathing tube is ed through the mouth and up to the patient’s trachea, which works to deliver oxygen to the lung in appropriate quantities for the body, in addition to using muscle relaxants before ing the breathing tube so that the doctor ensures that the muscles of the respiratory tract are relaxed.

One of the anesthesia team constantly monitors and monitors the patient during surgery. On the basis of this monitoring, medications, breathing, temperature, fluids and blood pressure are adjusted according to the patient’s follow-up.

What after general anesthesia?

After the medical procedure is completed, the anesthetic drugs are stopped and the patient begins to recover gradually. In some cases, the patient feels some confusion upon waking, in addition to some side effects, the most important of which are:

nausea

vomiting

Dry mouth.

Sore throat.

jerk

drowsiness

A slight rattle in the sound.

In addition, the patient feels pain and is a result of the surgery.

Finally, we have provided you with all the information you may need to know about general anesthesia.