What happens after anesthesia. General anesthesia consequences

The consequences of general anesthesia for the human body can be very different. Most often, postoperative troubles of this type are caused by medical errors, but sometimes they are physiologically determined by the characteristics of the body. Analysis of recorded complications makes it possible to assess the risk of anesthetic effects. True, it should be noted that there are cases when you have to choose the lesser evil, but in such situations you must be prepared to take adequate measures.

How is the procedure performed?

At its core, general anesthesia is a blocking of pain receptors when by medicinal method The cerebral cortical centers are temporarily inhibited. A person is artificially immersed in an insensitive state, similar to a narcotic sleep of varying depths. This goal is achieved by introducing combination drugs based on neuroleptics, anesthetics and analgesics.

General anesthesia(general anesthesia) can be provided by several methods:

Why problems arise

The drugs used for general anesthesia have a strong direct effect on the human central nervous system, the brain, and can also affect the functioning of the digestive, excretory, cardiovascular, muscular and respiratory systems. The introduction of such substances into human body is a necessary, understood risk. Without them surgery impossible due to real painful shock.

The anesthesiologist is well aware of the degree of risk, and therefore takes into account such parameters as the individual sensitivity of the body (especially the tendency to sensitization), the presence of various side pathologies, the patient’s age, the state of his nervous system and other factors.

Anesthesia is especially dangerous for children, elderly people, and pregnant women. The choice of anesthetic and its dose are exclusively individual and are prescribed after the necessary examinations. The effect of anesthesia must be carefully monitored at all stages: from introduction into the body to full recovery after operation.

In general, the effect of anesthesia on the human body is conditionally classified into several categories:

1. A natural physiological reaction that almost always occurs, but, as a rule, goes away on its own, and the task of resuscitation is to help the body.
2. Complications after anesthesia, which sometimes appear after the anesthesia wears off and are of a purely individual nature.
3. Severe complications that occur rarely, but are caused by systemic disorders.

What happens to a person during anesthesia

But is anesthesia harmful to the body? The effect of general anesthesia on the human body is very often accompanied by the following side effects that occur after the patient is removed from an unconscious state:

Harm of anesthesia to the body

General anesthesia can also cause some specific problems that are not very common, but require a special approach:

Negative consequences of anesthesia

Extremely rare, but still there are cases of manifestation severe consequences general anesthesia after surgery. Such circumstances arise when there is special individual sensitivity or an overdose of anesthesia. The following complications can be noted:

Consequences after anesthesia in children

The effect of anesthesia on the child’s body should be under special control. Naturally, children, like adults, sometimes need surgical intervention, and it is impossible to carry it out without general anesthesia. The problem is that Negative influence anesthetic effects on the child are more serious. Numerous studies indicate high risk the appearance of cognitive disorders.

In this case, the child may develop the following complications: impaired concentration, memory, inhibition of thinking, loss of ability to perceive learning. A number of anesthetics are thought to cause attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Operations performed before the age of three pose a particular danger.

General anesthesia is a necessary condition for surgical treatment. With proper consideration of the individual characteristics of a person’s health, its influence is limited by the body’s natural reaction, which disappears a few days after the operation. If serious complications arise, then adequate measures must be taken.

The use of general anesthesia is accompanied by adverse reactions - disturbances in breathing, circulation, and functioning of the nervous system. Anesthesia during cesarean section can also cause long-term consequences - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the child. Prevention requires full examination(with planned intervention), accounting possible factors risk. Read more about them in this article.

Read in this article

What is anesthesia and its consequences

Anesthesia is a human condition in which a loss of consciousness occurs, created artificially. Introduction to narcotic sleep is a necessity when performing any surgical operations; this allows you to avoid painful shock, which causes negative changes in the body, including cardiac arrest. There are three types of anesthesia used in medicine:

• intramuscular injection;
• intravenous injection;
• inhalation

The choice of type is carried out individually and depends on the volume of surgical intervention, general condition the patient's health, age and other factors.

The consequences of anesthesia can be very different - from short-term to permanent disorders. The first include:

• partial/complete memory impairment – ​​restored literally after 3-5 days;
• sleep disturbance - insomnia or, conversely, a constant desire to get enough sleep, normalizes within a week;
• severe headaches, problems with vision (decreased visual acuity) and hearing - the condition stabilizes within 5-10 days.

Often appear:

• muscle pain;
• nausea, which may be accompanied by vomiting;
• dizziness;
• speech problems, general lethargy;
• back pain.

Back pain may occur after epidural anesthesia.

Complications after anesthesia of a more severe nature:

• disorders of the respiratory system;
• problems in the functionality of the heart and vascular system;
• acute renal, adrenal failure;
• problems in the process of thermoregulation of the body.

Consequences of anesthesia, which are recorded extremely rarely, but do occur:

• Injury to tongues, lips and teeth is diagnosed in 1 case per 45,000 anesthesia use. This “side effect” is associated with damage oral cavity breathing tube. It is recommended to visit a dentist and undergo sanitation before undergoing surgery.
• Postoperative pulmonary infection - most often diagnosed after organ surgery chest and in smoking patients. According to statistics, it can be successfully treated, but it lengthens the recovery period.
• Damage to the eyes - the cornea is most often affected, does not lead to loss of vision, but causes a dark spot to appear in front of the eyes. The reason for this complication is incomplete closure of the eyelids during anesthesia: eyeball dries out and gets damaged inside century.

What does general anesthesia do?

Here is what and how general anesthesia affects:

• Nervous system (central)– it is important to “turn off” the main center for the perception of pain sensitivity. If inhaled drugs are used, blood vessels dilate and oxygen consumption decreases. Intravenous drugs directly affect blood circulation - they reduce its speed by almost 2 times.
• Respiratory system– in the process the nature and quality of breathing changes: they work slowly respiratory muscles, the depth and rhythm of inhalations/exhalations changes, and the level of serotonin decreases. If anesthesia is used simultaneously with ventilation, blood flow is distributed in the vessels of the respiratory system.
• The cardiovascular system– depression occurs when using any drugs, the myocardium begins to work at a slow pace. Simultaneously with the negative effect on the heart, the sympathetic-adrenal system is stimulated, which ensures rapid restoration of the functioning of the heart and blood vessels after surgery.

Common effects of anesthesia on the body

Often, patients after general anesthesia experience nausea, which can intensify with a sudden change in body position, eating or drinking water. To eliminate it, sometimes it is necessary to introduce antiemetics(Cerucal, Etaperazine, Tavegil), in most cases it goes away on its own within 1 - 2 days. Calm, deep breathing with slow inhalation is recommended to relieve discomfort.

Dryness, a feeling of rawness or burning in the throat can occur immediately after waking up, some patients experience quite severe pain in the throat when swallowing or talking, and hoarseness of the voice. This consequence of anesthesia is not dangerous; in case of intense pain, soothing warm chamomile tea with a small addition of honey and rose petal jam is prescribed. Among the medications, Strepsils Intensive is indicated.

Tongue - tongue; epiglottis - epiglottis; balloon - balloon; trachea - trachea; endotracheal tube - endotracheal tube; palate - sky.

Hand trembling or severe chills are not always associated with the administration of painkillers or infusion solutions. They can also be explained by a sharp activation of sympathetic impulses in response to stress, which is surgery. Warming with a warm blanket and maintaining a comfortable air temperature in the room will help reduce tremors in the body. If there is no fever, then drug therapy is not used.

Changes in blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration are a natural reaction to the suppression of the activity of the vasomotor and respiratory centers of the brain. After a period of braking, they may become unstable for some time. Therefore, all patients are advised to monitor hemodynamic parameters, control the rhythm and depth of breathing in the postoperative period.

At the same time, the likelihood of various heart rhythm disturbances increases - extrasystole, tachycardia and bradycardia. The most dangerous are:

• group extrasystoles;
• complete block of atrioventricular conduction;
• seizures ventricular tachycardia which can progress to ventricular fibrillation and asystole.

They are more common in older people with concomitant disorders of myocardial excitability and conductivity, cardiomyopathy, coronary disease hearts. For treatment, antiarrhythmic drugs are prescribed, and constant ECG monitoring is required.

Effects of anesthesia on the brain

The most common neurological complications include:

• headache;
• dizziness;
• collaptoid (fainting) state;
• weakness;
• disturbance of the sleep-wake rhythm;
• difficulty coordinating movements (unsteadiness of gait, awkwardness during purposeful actions).

They are associated with dehydration, blood loss, impaired vascular tone, and the inhibitory effect of anesthesia drugs on brain function. As a rule, such signs disappear within 2-4 days.

A more significant impairment is postoperative cognitive dysfunction. It can appear both in the first days and 2-3 months after general anesthesia. Patients complain that it is difficult to find the right word, remember information, fatigue quickly occurs during mental stress, and it is difficult to concentrate.

Memory and learning ability may decrease by 10-20%. Symptoms may subside over time, but some patients drug therapy they are intensifying.

The causes of this complication may be cerebral ischemia due to a decrease in blood pressure during surgery, disruption of the interaction of neurons under the influence of drugs and their partial destruction. It is possible that stimulation immune reaction And inflammatory process Long or extensive surgery and insufficient pain relief damage brain cells.

Insufficient nutrition of the brain at the cellular level, which is not quickly corrected, can provoke hallucinations, problems with attention and memory.

If the brain was injured before general anesthesia was used, then it is impossible to predict the consequences of the drugs.

For treatment the following is prescribed:

• neuroprotectors – Mexidol, Nimotop;
• nootropics – Glycine, Ceraxon;
• metabolic stimulants – Cerebrolysin, Somazina;
• antioxidants – Emoxipin, Bilobil.

To prevent memory impairment, it is necessary to minimize factors that damage brain tissue - smoking, drinking alcohol, eating fatty animal products, low or high blood pressure, increased blood sugar and cholesterol. You can train your memorization by solving crossword puzzles, reading, listening to audio books, or playing chess.

What anesthesia rarely leads to

Less common effects of general anesthesia are:

• increased secretion of bronchial mucus, spasm of the bronchi and larynx, impaired ventilation of the lungs, depression or increased breathing until it stops, pneumonia, respiratory failure, shortness of breath, cough;

Pneumonia postoperative

• increased salivation, transient jaundice, increased activity liver tests, decreased motility (motor function) of the stomach and intestines;
• psychomotor agitation, convulsive syndrome, drowsiness, depressive reactions, psychosis, disorientation;
• disturbance of acid-base balance and electrolyte balance, decrease in protein content in the blood due to their excretion by the kidneys, fluctuations in blood sugar levels, leukocytosis, hemolysis of red blood cells;
• sweating, fever;
• allergic reactions - bronchospasm, urticaria, itching, anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema, chills;
• renal failure;
• change in consciousness – stupor, delirium, hallucinations;
• decreased myocardial contractility, cardiac decompensation.

To learn how general anesthesia affects a patient’s health, watch this video:

Negative consequences for women

There is a special situation when it is necessary to use anesthesia in women - this is a caesarean section. There are several methods of general anesthesia, each of which has certain advantages and disadvantages.

The inhalation method is convenient when urgent delivery is necessary for life-saving reasons; the depth of anesthesia is easy to regulate. Inhalation of the gas mixture is usually well tolerated - circulatory disorders rarely occur in the mother and fetus. TO negative characteristics relate:

• risk of vomiting and vomit blockage respiratory tract in a woman in labor;
• the appearance of inflammation of the bronchi and lung tissue(more often in the presence of ether in the mixture);
• The child's breathing may become weakened.

Intravenous anesthesia can damage the neurons of the fetal brain, cause instability in pressure and pulse rate, and fluctuations in respiratory activity. Therefore, it is most often replaced with spinal or epidural anesthesia. They are also not completely safe, as they provoke hypotension in the mother and oxygen starvation in the fetus.

Hypoxia in a child can manifest itself only by 2–3 years of age in the form of attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, speech development disorders, and muscle reflexes.

Pain relief during childbirth is used according to strict indications in situations where pain can cause state of shock. To insist on anesthesia because you are psychologically unprepared for childbirth means endangering not only your health, but also the nervous system of the unborn child. The choice of anesthetic agents and methods should be made by a specialist, taking into account all risk factors.

General anesthesia: consequences for men

In medicine, it is not customary to separate unpleasant consequences after general anesthesia by the gender of the patient, but scientists have proven that for men it can cause problems in their sexual life. It is not the sexual desire that decreases, but the potency - erectile dysfunction is diagnosed. This happens especially often in older men. age group when there are already signs of a natural decrease in sexual activity.

After general anesthesia, problems in endocrine system– production decreases male hormones. True, this is considered an exception and can be recorded during frequent surgical interventions or against the background of existing endocrine diseases.

The effect of anesthesia on the human body: consequences

The consequences for the human body after anesthesia are directly related to the effect of the drugs:

• Nausea– most often observed immediately after emerging from narcotic sleep, it is short-lived, and does not require the use of medications. It may be accompanied by vomiting, but only if the preparation for the operation was carried out with violations (for example, the patient ate food immediately before the manipulation).
• Pain in the throat when swallowing and talking - can be periodic or constant, lasting from 2 hours to several days. Accompanied by severe dryness in the mouth and a strong feeling of thirst.
• Whole body tremors or limb tremors– lasts no more than 30 minutes and is associated with impaired conduction of nerve impulses. The problem is solved with warm clothes, a blanket - the patient simply needs to warm up.

• General weakness, dizziness, faintness– associated with a decrease in blood pressure after recovery from anesthesia. If so pathological condition persists for 2 days after surgery, you should seek help from your doctor - there may be a dehydration factor.
• Itchy skin– present throughout the body, can be strong and uncontrollable. This is how the body reacts to anesthetic drugs, but it can also be a manifestation of a powerful allergy. To avoid the development of serious complications in the form of anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema, you need to inform your doctor about the problem - you will need to undergo short course therapy with antihistamines.
• Pain in the back and muscles– a consequence of an uncomfortable posture during the operation, they are symmetrical, and may bother you for 2-3 days recovery period. Most often, such consequences are observed when using the anesthetic Ditilin, which is suitable for emergency surgery without first clearing the stomach of food.

Watch this video about the dangers of anesthesia:

Anesthesia overdose: consequences in adults

Modern medicine practically eliminates the risk of anesthesia overdose, but if this happens, the consequences in adults can be the following:

• Too much drug sleep– the patient begins to regain consciousness only 6-12 hours after surgery. He may be forcibly awakened, but the loss of consciousness will continue until the increased dose of anesthetic wears off.
• Headache- this is how most anesthesia drugs act on the central nervous system. If after normal anesthesia the pain syndrome disappears within a few hours, then in case of an overdose it may persist for several days.
• Respiratory depression– a temporary phenomenon that can provoke postoperative pneumonia.

Cases where an overdose of anesthesia led to the death of a patient have not been recorded in the last 50 years.

Consequences of frequent anesthesia

There is a myth that says the more anesthesia a patient is given ( frequent operations), the more difficult it will be for him to get out of this state, it is even possible clinical death or complete loss of memory and reason.

In reality this is not
happens:

• drugs act on the body in the same way with each administration;
• a recovery period is observed between surgical interventions - the effects of general anesthesia are already disappearing, the systems are ready for a new “blow”;
• There are patients who often undergo anesthesia for medical reasons (for example, multiple operations for extensive burns) - statistics are silent that this led to any serious consequences.

The only thing that doctors and scientists warn about is that there may be a disorder of the nervous system and the presence of constant pain in back. This manifests itself as headaches unknown origin, unmotivated surges in blood pressure, aching in the lower back after habitual physical activity.

Is there a harmless anesthesia?

With a good preoperative examination, the anesthesiologist has the opportunity to choose the optimal option for pain relief, taking into account concomitant diseases, duration of the operation, indications and contraindications for specific drugs. As a result, the risks of side effects can be minimized, and the patient receives anesthesia that causes fewer complications upon awakening.

Since any anesthesia suppresses brain functions, there can be no absolutely safe method. To put the patient into a state of artificial sleep, a drug is needed that could reduce the activity of the nervous and cardiovascular systems for a sufficiently long time to make it possible to perform the operation. Therefore some possible consequences for the body is regarded as a kind of “payment” for getting rid of the disease.

When choosing medications for women who are indicated for caesarean section, preference is given to not intravenous administration, and new inhalational anesthetics – isoflurane and sevoflurane. They are significantly superior in safety to the previous ones (for example, Ftorotan). Women in labor wake up within 15 - 20 minutes, and anesthesia depression in a newborn also disappears in the first minutes after birth.

Should you be afraid of anesthesia?

The operation cannot be performed without removing pain syndrome. In this case, it is important that the patient not only does not feel pain, but also does not remember what happened to him during the treatment period (amnesia). To do this, the surgeon and anesthesiologist choose the method of anesthesia. They are guided by age characteristics, the presence concomitant pathology and volume and duration of surgical intervention.

In most patients who have undergone preoperative preparation, anesthesia does not cause significant deviations in the subsequent functioning of the heart, brain, lungs, liver and kidneys.

Modern agents are used for anesthesia, which have side effects, but they can be prevented or eliminated. It must also be taken into account that any drug therapy has its own expiration date. Almost all complications with proper pain relief can be removed after the drug is removed from the body.

Therefore, you need to choose a doctor and a medical institution that you can trust, and leave all other actions (including anesthesia) at the discretion of specialists.

How to minimize risks

When preparing for a planned operation, a full complex is recommended diagnostic studies. An ECG, chest x-ray, and ultrasound are prescribed. abdominal cavity. For laboratory testing, it is important to undergo general tests blood and urine, coagulogram, kidney and liver tests, study of blood glucose and cholesterol concentrations.

If it is possible to compare several medical institutions, then preference should be given to those where there is a modern technical base, as well as a narrower specialization of doctors in the profile that is needed.

Patients need to exclude smoking, alcohol, and any fatty, spicy foods, pickled and canned foods from their diet for 10 - 15 days; the diet should consist of lean meats, fish, vegetables and whole grain cereals. They are prepared with a minimum of salt, spices, oil and cooking oil.

It is also useful to drink freshly squeezed juices from vegetables, fruits, and herbs. This diet improves the condition of the mucous membranes of the digestive tract and the functioning of the liver and kidneys. The removal of drugs for anesthesia depends on their function.

If your health condition allows, then every day it is recommended hiking at least 40 minutes, light gymnastic complexes, adherence to the regime, the 8-hour period is especially important night sleep. To improve sleep, you can drink soothing teas from valerian, lemon balm, mint, and chamomile.

Any medications should be taken only after consulting the surgeon who will perform the operation. It is also necessary to discuss drug tolerance and allergic reactions in the past with him.

General anesthesia can cause negative effects on the nervous system, blood circulation, bronchial and pulmonary function. A fairly common condition is post-anesthesia cognitive dysfunction. During surgery caesarean section Children may have long-term consequences in the form of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The choice of anesthesia method should be made by anesthesiologists and surgeons after comprehensive examination. Before surgery, you need a special diet and lifestyle.

Useful video

To learn about the complications that occur after general anesthesia, watch this video:

Recovery after anesthesia is considered an important stage of surgical treatment. Each human body has individual sensitivity to the effects of anesthetics. Some people recover from anesthesia within half an hour after it ends, while others require considerable time and health care. In any case, the myths about the terrible danger of general anesthesia cannot be trusted, but it is better to completely trust the experience of specialists. With the correct dosage and all necessary measures, the body fully recovers from the action of anesthetic substances in a short time.

What is the problem

At its core, anesthesia, or anesthesia, is the process of artificially inhibiting the reactions of the central nervous system to pain during a surgical operation. This depression of the nervous system is reversible and is expressed in the loss of consciousness, sensitivity and reflex reactions, as well as a significant decrease in muscle tone.

Anesthetic substances are introduced into the human body to suppress synaptic transmission of excitation to the central nervous system, which is achieved by blocking afferent impulses. At the same time, contacts in the cortical-subcortical system change, dysfunction of the intermediate, middle and spinal cord. These processes occur only during the period of anesthesia, but after the cessation of its influence everything should return to its previous course.

The human body perceives anesthetic substances differently, and therefore a number of drugs of different classes are used, and quite often a combination of several drugs is administered. The choice of their type and dosage is made by the anesthesiologist after necessary research individual sensitivity. In addition, depending on the extent and duration of the surgical operation, anesthesia can be of different depths: superficial, light, deep or very deep.

When prescribing a general anesthesia regimen, methods for exiting artificial retardation after completion of the operation are immediately analyzed. Naturally, the intense effect on the central nervous system, although reversible, causes significant consequences. The state after anesthesia depends on the characteristics of the body, the type of anesthetic and its dosage, and the duration of the effect.

With proper anesthesia, the human body is capable of fully recovering on its own, but this requires some time. The doctor’s task is to ensure complete and rapid rehabilitation of all temporarily suppressed functions. Immediately after the operation, the patient is sent to the intensive care unit, where primary recovery measures are carried out. The duration of resuscitation depends significantly on the person’s age and the presence of diseases.

What side effects occur?

Recovery from anesthesia includes relief from the following common symptoms:

Data on the condition after the operation are recorded and the corresponding conclusion of the surgeon is made. In order to restore the body during the stage of stay in intensive care unit, the task is to eliminate them completely. If these symptoms remain, the patient’s stay in the clinic is extended.

Why can't you sleep after anesthesia?

In the first 2 hours after waking up, the body restores its functioning. The person is in a state of “inhibition.” Reflexes are suppressed, vision is blurry, external perception is impaired. The painkiller is removed from the body. The patient is gradually helped to wake up.

Repeated sleep after anesthesia can lead to uncontrollable complications, such as asphyxia or vomiting. If the patient remains asleep after emerging from anesthesia, it will be difficult for doctors to perform resuscitation and save him. By not allowing patients to sleep after anesthesia, the doctor creates conditions so that the anesthesia wears off as quickly as possible.

Troubleshooting

Postoperative rehabilitation associated with general anesthesia and other features of surgical treatment requires solving the following important problems:

What can you eat after anesthesia?

A special postoperative diet is established even after minor surgery, and this is prerequisite recovery period. 1.5-2 hours after surgery (except for surgery of the digestive system), the patient is given a few sips of water. After this (with normal fluid tolerance), drinking is indicated every half hour with a gradual increase in volume. In the absence of negative signs, the first light meal is carried out 5-5.5 hours after surgery. For these purposes, only liquid food is suitable: broth, pureed soup.

Liquid nutrition is maintained for 3-4 days, while a frequent (up to 6 times a day) but fractional regimen is provided. If it is impossible to eat food on your own, it must be administered artificially through a tube or by drip. It is strictly prohibited to consume the following products within 1-2 days after anesthesia is removed: whole milk, carbonated drinks, plant fiber, sugar syrups.

After 3-4 days, you can switch to semi-liquid food with a predominance of pureed foods. During this period you can eat: chicken and turkey broths, pureed soups without fat, jellies, low-fat yoghurts, mousses, boiled rice porridge. The duration of maintaining a strict diet is determined by the attending physician, based on the complexity of the operation and the course of the recovery period.

Solid food is introduced gradually already 6-7 days after surgery. The dose is set within 35-45 g per day with a gradual increase in the absence of complications. After general anesthesia, it is recommended to refrain from eating fried, salty, and canned foods for a month. Important Terms food means fresh preparation and optimal temperature of the dish.

Memory recovery

With deep and prolonged anesthesia, there is often a need to stimulate brain activity. Memory recovery after anesthesia sometimes becomes important task postoperative period. For this purpose, elementary exercises will be quite effective.

Most effective way- Conducting a conversation with a clear formation of your thoughts. If dialogue is not possible, then such exercises can be done in front of a mirror, talking out loud. A good training technique is solving crosswords and puzzles, solving simple logic puzzles. One of the recommended ways is to read a book in the morning or afternoon detailed analysis read before bed. You can remember small details, try to translate the plot into reality, put yourself in the place of the hero, etc. If you don’t have an interesting book at hand, then you can remember something that you once read before.

Carrying out various calculations is recognized as useful training, and you can count anything: from your previous life, what you saw outside the window, etc. Such exercises help restore memory and concentration. After discharge from the hospital, such training is not limited at all. When traveling in public transport, so many events happen outside the window that it is not difficult to come up with interesting statistics.

In normalizing brain activity important role Proper nutrition also plays a role. Bitter chocolate is very useful for stimulating brain function, because... it stimulates the production of endorphins, which have a positive effect on memory. It is recommended to add almonds to the diet, Walnut, fruits vegetables. Positive results A tincture of rowan bark and a clover decoction are found. To restore memory, it is advisable to consume blueberries.

Any surgical intervention is an extreme circumstance for a person. General anesthesia is an element that helps during surgery, but complicates life immediately after it, and therefore it is advisable to quickly get rid of its consequences. With proper restoration measures, its effect on the body can be completely neutralized in a short period of time.

Which anesthetic will be chosen for pain relief depends on the type of surgery, the stage of the disease, and the experience of the anesthesiologist. Despite the numerous advantages, the consequences of anesthesia after surgery can be quite serious (in most cases it is impossible to predict in advance which anesthetic will be better). Therefore, before surgery, the patient is carefully examined for contraindications.

Advice: the success of the operation largely depends on the qualifications of the surgeon and anesthesiologist. Therefore, find out in advance which of the doctors in your hospital are considered the best.

Side effects

General anesthesia often causes side effects such as:

• nausea;
• confusion;
• dizziness;
• headache;
• shiver;
• a sore throat;
• back pain;
• muscle pain.

In a third of all cases, general anesthesia provokes nausea. Therefore, after surgery, a person should not get out of bed or drink water or food for some time.

General anesthesia most often causes confusion in older people. This is manifested by memory deterioration and behavior different from usual. Usually this side effect disappears as the body recovers.

A side effect of general anesthesia, such as dizziness, occurs due to a decrease in blood pressure. This same side effect can be caused by dehydration.

Trembling is a side effect of general anesthesia that causes severe discomfort in a person. However, such a complication is not dangerous to the body. This side effect lasts only 20-30 minutes.

Itching – adverse reaction the body to anesthetics such as morphine. But itching may be a manifestation of an allergic reaction to medicinal substances, so it is best to immediately inform your doctor about its appearance.

A sore throat is a consequence that can disappear within a few hours after surgery or bother a person for several days. It can be mild, causing discomfort, or it can be severe and bother you when swallowing or talking.

Back pain can occur due to the fact that a person was in the same position for a long time during surgery. Complications of general anesthesia, such as muscle pain, often appear in young men. They are localized in the shoulders, neck, upper abdomen and can last for 2-3 days.

Which of the listed side effects will appear after surgery is not known in advance. It will be better if the anesthesiologist tells the patient in advance about the most likely side effects and how to minimize their occurrence.

Complications of general anesthesia

General anesthesia can cause the following serious complications:

• pulmonary infection;
• injury to lips, tongue and teeth;
• nerve damage;
• anaphylaxis ( allergic reaction);
• eye damage;
• brain damage;
• death.

Advice: If the likelihood of severe complications developing is too high, the operation should be abandoned.

Pulmonary infection is a serious consequence of general anesthesia. Smokers, in order to reduce the likelihood of its occurrence, would be better off giving up this bad habit 6 weeks before surgery.

Injury to the lips, tongue or teeth in children and adults is a rare consequence of general anesthesia. It can occur when a tube is inserted into the trachea (endotracheal anesthesia). To reduce the risk of its occurrence, it is best to visit a dentist before surgery and eliminate any existing problems with your teeth or gums.

Nerve damage results in numbness, pain or tingling, and paralysis. It can appear in a small area of ​​the body or over a large area (which area may be affected is difficult to say in advance) and can last up to a year.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction to medications. According to statistics, 5% of anaphylaxis cases end fatal, despite the fact that doctors are doing everything possible to save the patient.

The use of anesthetics may cause damage to the cornea. This complication arises due to the fact that during general anesthesia the eyelids do not close completely. As a result, the cornea dries out, the eyelid sticks to it, and when the eye opens, damage appears on the cornea.

Brain damage is a complication that affects older people. Brain damage occurs as a result of a stroke provoked by anesthetics against the background of general poor condition body. The likelihood of this complication increases when surgery is performed on the neck, heart, or brain.

A rather unpleasant complication of general anesthesia is the return of consciousness to the patient during surgery. As a result, some episodes of the surgical intervention remain in his memory, which can cause psychological trauma.

Contraindications to anesthesia in adults and children

Before anesthesia is given, the patient is carefully examined for any contraindications to it. These include:

• respiratory tract diseases (in the acute stage);
• infectious diseases (in the acute stage);
• Availability purulent rashes on the skin;
• neurological diseases (severe stages);
• mental illness (any stage);
• myocardial infarction (after which less than six months have passed);
• heart failure (severe stage);
• bronchial asthma(acute stage);
• bronchitis (acute stage).

Anesthesia for epilepsy (the most common neurological disease) has some peculiarities. A serious complication of intravenous or any other type of anesthesia is the development of seizures (the probability of occurrence is 2%). However, it is impossible to determine which drug is better, since seizures can occur regardless of the drug.

Any types of anesthesia during pregnancy (total intravenous anesthesia, anesthesia through a mask or local anesthesia) are done only if something threatens the life of the mother or child. It was found that if anesthesia was performed during pregnancy, then the likelihood of developing pathologies in the fetus for this reason is comparable to the likelihood of developing such pathologies in pregnant women who were not exposed to anesthetics.

In children, the following are contraindications for anesthesia that completely turns off consciousness:

• hyperthermia of unknown origin;
• rickets (severe);
• condition after vaccination (in this case, children are not recommended to undergo anesthesia for 10-14 days)

It is worth noting that the presence of all types of contraindications in children and adults is neglected if the operation must be carried out according to emergency indications or as it progresses cancer when it comes to saving a patient's life.

General anesthesia allows for painless surgery. Which anesthetic is best to use, which one will be easily tolerated by the patient, and which one will cause severe complications, difficult to predict in advance.

Attention! The information on the site is presented by specialists, but is for informational purposes only and cannot be used for self-treatment. Be sure to consult your doctor!

The effects of general anesthesia are felt by absolutely all patients. Surgery is stressful for those who have undergone it or are about to undergo it.

This is fine. The patient’s attitude and awareness of the need for such treatment for health are very important.

If necessary, you need to prepare your life for postoperative period. Women should cook and clean the house. If your health does not allow it, ask your relatives to clean it.

After surgery you will not be able to do this work. I know how important comfort, cleanliness, and the awareness that everything is under control are for women. So, before the operation, strive to prepare for yourself a calm recovery after anesthesia, and not to inflate your thoughts and fears.

I myself have undergone two operations, I’ll be honest – I was afraid the first time, then I wasn’t anymore. I knew what to expect. Do not delay treatment - the older you are, the more serious the recovery.

• There are, of course, cases where the patient fell asleep and did not wake up. Everything happens due to an overdose of anesthesia, heavy bleeding, allergies to the drug. These are exceptional cases: an unexamined patient with a serious injury was brought in.
• There is no way to examine him before the operation - he needs to be saved. During such interventions in the body, there are also surprises. For example, equipment failure.
• We are not protected from them even while lying on the sofa - plaster will fall on our heads. Statistical data postoperative complications– from 1 to 2% of the total volume of transactions.
• Possible pulmonary edema.
• Bronchial spasm.
• Possible acute form.

What to expect after general anesthesia; consequences for a woman’s body:

Anesthesia is essentially similar to a coma state. During its action, we do not feel anything, although many people report colorful dreams after waking up.

The central nervous system is depressed during the use of anesthesia - we cease to feel reality and pain.

After the operation, if you do not wake up on your own, the doctors begin to wake you up.

After anesthesia:

• Disconnected from the device artificial respiration(you will still have a straw in your mouth).
• They will remove it from the room or do it right away.
• It can subsequently cause a sore and sore throat. This will pass.
• You will begin to breathe on your own.
• You will not urinate yourself (a catheter is inserted).
• You don’t want to go to the toilet (you had an enema the day before).
• After difficult, serious operations or patients with many chronic diseases, the elderly will be taken for observation in intensive care. There is no need to be afraid of this word.
• They won't leave your side there. The doctors here are always qualified, attentive, kind, but very tired. After all, this is not surprising, who can calmly look at the suffering of people?
• You will not feel pain; you will be given painkillers.
• They will warm you up (after anesthesia you are shaking), measure your pulse and blood pressure, and if you can’t sleep (stress after the operation), they will help with this too. I can confidently advise you - calm down, get well.
• Try to move your arms yourself, carefully pull your legs one at a time at least a few centimeters up, moving them along the bed.
• Try to tense your neck muscles, move your head to the sides, and tighten your buttocks. This way the blood will not stagnate - this is very important. Do everything slowly and carefully.
• The doctor runs in infinite number times between operations. They are very tired in the morning. Everything I saw evokes indescribable respect for the profession. A little off topic - sorry.
• Around the second day you will be transferred to the ward.

General anesthesia consequences after resuscitation:

They will definitely give you blood thinning pills. You definitely need to drink them, because you lost blood during the operation, it was released less and it is thicker. Usually this acetylsalicylic acid. Don't throw it away.

• Your body will not ask you to eat; you will be fed through IVs. Depending on the area of ​​surgical intervention, this will continue for up to five days.
• Then you will be allowed the foods you are entitled to (chicken broth, homemade compotes from dried fruits).
• If the intestines do not work the next day, they will help with this by stimulating it for 2 minutes with physical therapy.
• You will need to get up as soon as you are moved from intensive care. The doctor will tell you. There is no need to be afraid, weakness and dizziness will quickly pass.
• Don’t be capricious, get up immediately because there is a high chance of not getting internal adhesions in the body. This is not a whim of doctors - a necessity for health.
• The consequences of using anesthesia will continue to appear for another whole year, possibly more. Sometimes you begin to forget the name of the person standing next to you, your mind understands that he is familiar, but the name or surname disappears completely. These are the consequences of anesthesia, they pass. Take Nootropil, Cavinton or the like.
• The heart, liver, or liver may hurt - there will be deviations, especially in people who are older and not entirely healthy. Contact your doctor; there are no general prescriptions. You need to know what happened to the organ before the operation.
• Patients have practically no consequences from its use.

If possible, have surgery done in good clinics. I understand that for most of us this is just a dream.

Headache:

Many people are interested in the question, why do they get headaches after anesthesia?

• Unfortunately, there are many factors here: what drug you were given, its dosage, the experience of the anesthesiologist.
• Modern medicine is developing, safer substances are appearing with a minimum of negative effects on the body after surgery.
• There is evidence that patients with protein intolerance suffer greatly. This must be mentioned to the doctor. You will be given a different anesthesia.

They will numb you well, you won’t feel any pain. The most important thing is that now we need to get better, everything is behind us.

Realize this - smile, ask the doctor about everything that interests you, so that doubts do not gnaw from the inside. Only positive. Recovery is several times faster.

Does anesthesia take years off your life:

1. No one keeps such statistics, but if you believe the myths that any operation takes five years of life, this is incompetence.
2. There is a large number of people who are forced to do them, literally in dozens. If you multiply by five, you won’t find such long-livers.
3. Everything around us influences us: where and with whom do we live, what do we eat, drink, how much and with whom do we work, how do we treat ourselves and take care of ourselves in general? We can list them endlessly, but we don’t care much about it. In vain - here is the key to our health.
4. General anesthesia for major surgery is necessary; it will save your life. Get ready for this.

Can a person wake up during surgery:

1. Maybe. There are such cases. Everyone has their own body. But don’t think that he woke up, got scared, jumped off and ran.
2. During surgery, we are all monitored by many devices connected to our body.
3. It will definitely show an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. A dose of anesthesia is added to the patient and he falls asleep.

Tests necessary for the use of general anesthesia without consequences:

• General blood analysis.
• For surgical intervention The doctor definitely needs to know: hemoglobin level, leukocytes, red blood cells, ESR, platelets.
• Rh factor of blood.
• Tests for HIV and AIDS infections.
• Blood chemistry.
• Liver enzymes: ALT, AST, definitely bilirubin (its numbers indicate the functioning of the gallbladder and liver).
• Kidney function indicators: creatinine, urea.
• ECG (electrocardiogram).
• Fluorography of the chest.

An ultrasound of the organs may be prescribed if required to confirm any doubt.

Contraindications to general anesthesia with its consequences:

Their doctors are divided into:

1. Absolute.
2. Relative.

IN in case of emergency the person will definitely undergo surgery. The main thing here is human life.

Only planned surgery can be postponed for the following reasons:

1. Diseases in acute form respiratory tract. It will be impossible to breathe with the tube. Moreover, the active phase of the disease is underway - runny nose, fever, cough.
2. They will refuse you if you are underweight.
3. Various skin rashes (purulent).
4. Children are denied surgical treatment, if 6 months have not passed since vaccination.
5. Heart disease with severe symptoms, occurring with arrhythmias.
6. Severe hypertension with tonometer numbers above 200/110.
7. Myocardial infarction acute course. At least six months must pass after a heart attack.
8. Hormone-dependent bronchial asthma with frequent attacks.
9. Focal chronic cerebral failure after cranial brain injury or stroke.
10. Epilepsy with frequent seizures.
11. They will refuse drug addicts and chronic alcoholics during acute mental attacks.
12. With decompensated type 2 (fasting sugar more than 11 mmol/liter) or type 1.
13. Severe bleeding disorder.
14. For severe anemia (below 100 grams/liter).
15. Active form of tuberculosis.
16. Polyvalent allergies to medications used during surgical treatment.

That's why you need to do it elective surgeries as early as possible while you are younger. Don’t stress yourself out about inevitable treatment – ​​you’re not the first, you’re not last time If you need surgery, do it. Believe me - everything will be fine.

Stay healthy.

I'm always glad to see you on my website.

Watch the video about the effects of general anesthesia on the body: