General anesthesia is a sleep-like state of non-feeling produced by medicines called anesthetics. General anesthesia keeps you from being alert and feeling pain during a medical procedure. Your health care provider provider may recommend general anesthesia if your procedure:
Is long.
Causes pain or discomfort.
Might be scary to see.
Requires you to be still.
Affects breathing.
Causes significant blood loss.
LET YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER KNOW ABOUT:
Any allergies you have.
All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
Any steroids you are using.
Previous problems you or members of your family have had with …show more content…
A stroke.
A heart attack.
Waking up during the procedure. If this happens, you may feel severe pain, and you might not be able to move amd tell someone you are awake.
Complications of general anesthesia are rare. However, if they happen they can be life-threatening. Older adults and adults with serious medical problems are more likely to have complications than adults who are young and healthy. Some complications can be prevented by answering all of your health care provider provider's questions thoroughly and by following all pre-procedure instructions. It is important to tell your health care provider provider if any of the pre-procedure instructions were not followed. Any food or liquid in the stomach can cause problems when you are under general anesthesia.
BEFORE THE PROCEDURE
Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions.
Ask your health care provider about:
Changing or stopping your regular medicines. This is especially important if you are taking diabetes medicines or blood thinners.
Taking medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These medicines can thin your blood. Do not take these medicines before your procedure if your health care provider instructs you not …show more content…
If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
You may brush your teeth on the morning of the procedure, but make sure to spit out the toothpaste and water when finished.
PROCEDURE
You will be given anesthetics through a mask, through an intravenous (IV) access tube, or through both. A doctor who specializes in anesthesia (anesthesiologist) or a nurse who specializes in anesthesia (nurse anesthetist) or both will stay with you throughout the procedure to make sure you remain unconscious. He or she will also watch your blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen levels to make sure that the anesthetics do not cause any problems. Once you are asleep, a breathing tube or mask may be used to help you breathe.
The procedure may vary among health care providers and hospitals.
AFTER THE PROCEDURE
You will wake up after the procedure is complete. You may be in the room where the procedure was performed or in a recovery area.
Your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood oxygen level will be monitored often until the medicines you were given have worn