What is general anesthesia?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Ho Quoc Tuan - Anesthesiologist - General Surgery Department - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

General anesthesia is a mandatory procedure with long surgeries, the surgical site is located in parts located deep inside the body. Anesthesia helps to relieve pain and unconsciousness, ensuring there is no memory of the surgery.

General anesthesia is administered before a surgery, keeping the patient unconscious and preventing pain.

General anesthesia works by interrupting nerve signals in the brain and organs, preventing the brain from processing pain and remembering what happened during surgery.
Before surgery, you will be sedated through an IV line in your arm or hand or inhaled air through a mask and then fall asleep within a few minutes. Once you've fallen asleep, a catheter will be placed through your mouth into your windpipe to make sure you're getting enough oxygen during surgery. Your doctor will first give you a throat muscle relaxant so as not to irritate you during the intubation process.
During surgery, the anesthesiology team will check:
Breathing rate Temperature Heart rate Blood pressure Blood oxygen concentration Body fluid concentration This measurement provides information for the anesthesiologist to make adjustments medicine, give more fluids or blood to your body if needed, always make sure you sleep well and don't feel pain during the surgery.
After surgery, anesthesia will stop being given. You are taken to the recovery room to regain consciousness.

The stages of general anesthesia are as follows:
Stage 1 - Induction : The earliest stage lasts from the moment you first enter the body until bedtime. You can talk for a while. Breathing is slow but regular and inability to feel pain. Stage 2 - Agitation or delirium: The second stage can be dangerous, so the anesthesiologist will get you through this as quickly as possible. You may have uncontrollable movements, a fast heartbeat and irregular breathing, vomiting, choking or stopping of breathing. Stage 3 - Surgical Anesthesia: At this stage, surgery can take place. Your eyes stop moving, your muscles completely relax, you can stop breathing without the help of machines. The anesthesiologist will keep you at this stage until the procedure is over. Stage 4 - Overdose: If you are given an overdose of anesthesia, your heart and lungs will stop working, which can be fatal if not treated promptly. SEE ALSO: What is the difference between partial anesthesia and general anesthesia?

General anesthesia is done if surgery:
Has a surgery time of several hours or more Affects breathing Affects a large area of ​​the body Involves a major organ such as the heart or brain Possible cause a lot of blood loss

General anesthesia may not be needed when:
Minor surgery Affects a small part of the body (foot or face) For these types of procedures you may only need:
Local anesthesia site : Helps prevent pain in the small surgical area, you remain awake. Regional Anesthesia: Anesthetizes a larger area of ​​the body such as the legs, leaving you awake.

The doctor will ask some information to make sure the anesthesia is safe, such as:
What disease do you have? What medications are you taking (prescription, over-the-counter, herbal)? Are you allergic to eggs, soy, or any medications? Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? Have you had any reactions to anesthesia during previous surgeries? Your doctor will tell you not to eat or drink anything but water for about 8 hours before surgery. This is because general anesthesia relaxes the muscles, which can cause food to pass from the stomach into the lungs.
You may need to stop taking certain medications a week or more before surgery. These include medications and herbal supplements that can cause you to bleed such as:
Aspirin Anticoagulants Ginkgo biloba St. John's wort Ask your doctor what medicines you can take with a small sip of water the morning of your surgery.

You may feel a little drowsy when you wake up from the coma. Other common side effects of anesthesia are:
Nausea and vomiting Dry mouth Sore throat Hoarse voice Drowsiness Tremors Muscle pain Itching Confusion, especially in the elderly Delirium after anesthesia lasts over 1 day after surgery is rare and usually goes away after about a week.
Some people have memory problems after being under general anesthesia, which is more common in people with cardiovascular disease, lung disease, Alzheimer's disease, or Parkinson's disease.
General anesthesia is safe for most healthy people. The risk of complications is higher in people who:
Obesity Older adults High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, epilepsy or kidney disease Obstructive sleep apnea causes breathing to stop several times during while sleeping Smoking Taking drugs such as aspirin, which can cause more bleeding Allergic to drugs used in general anesthesia Remain awake under anesthesia and feel pain during surgery rarely happen. If this happens, tell your doctor. Staying awake during surgery can cause long-term emotional problems.
Anesthesia is a procedure performed in surgery, treatment,... However, anesthesia also has many potential risks and side effects. Therefore, when choosing anesthesia, patients should choose reputable medical facilities with good facilities, good doctors, and modern medical equipment to give first aid in some emergency cases. grant.
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that strictly applies safe surgical anesthesia practice standards according to international guidelines. With a team of experienced anesthesiologists and nurses, along with modern equipment such as nerve detectors, ultrasound machines, Karl Storz difficult airway control system, anesthesia monitoring system GE's comprehensive AoA (Adequate of Anesthesia) including monitoring of anesthesia, pain and muscle relaxation will deliver high quality and safety, helping patients to have adequate anesthesia, not awake, no residual relaxant muscle after surgery. Vinmec Health System is also proud to be the first hospital in Vietnam to sign with the World Anesthesiology Association (WFSA) towards the goal of becoming the safest hospital for surgical anesthesia in Southeast Asia.

Reference source: webmd.com