About General Anaesthetic
Your procedure will be carried out under a general anaesthetic. A general anaesthetic involves the use of drugs or gases to put you in a state of controlled unconsciousness. The anaesthetic will monitor you continuously and top up the anaesthetic if required and give you any additional drugs such as painkillers and antibiotics through your veins.
Prior to your admission date, you will have gone through a pre-operative assessment clinic. The purpose of this clinic appointment is to ensure that your health is at its optimal for your surgery and anaesthetic.
They will go through your past medical, surgical and medication history and carry out several observations to ensure you are fit for the anaesthetic. You will be given specific instructions about medications which would need to be stopped in advance to your surgery. Here they will also give you specific instructions about when you can last eat and drink as you are required to have an empty bowel for the anaesthetic.
It is advised to try and stop smoking or drinking alcohol in advance to your surgery to reduce the risk of developing complications. Below is a list of possible side effects from a general anaesthetic.
Your anaesthetist will discuss the associated risks with you prior to your procedure. Below is a list of possible side effects from the anaesthetic:
Sore throat – This is usually a result of the tube that is placed in your throat to help you breathe while you’re unconscious. Simple painkillers and lots of fluids can help alleviate this.
Pain on injection of anaesthetic drugs into your vein.
Nausea and vomiting – This can occur within the first few hours after surgery and may last for some days. Nausea and vomited can also be due to several other factors such as, such as the medication.
Drowsiness- is common until anaesthetic drugs wear off completely. Painkillers like Morphine can also make you drowsy and tired. Oral and intravenous fluids are usually given to treat this.
Shivering and feeling cold – this can be caused by the drop of your body temperature during anaesthetic. You will be given an electronic warming blanket during anaesthetic and when you wake up in the recovery room.
Itching- is a common side effect of analgesics like Morphine. It can also be caused by an allergy to anything you have been in contact with, including drugs, sterilising fluids, stitch material, latex and dressings. It can be treated with drugs.
Breathing difficulties – not uncommon immediately after waking up. You will be cared for in the Recovery Room until your breathing is better.
Damage to Eyes – can be due to surgical drapes or equipment causing a rubbing of the cornea (clear surface of the eye) and can cause a graze. The anaesthetist often tapes your eyes shut with surgical tape. Serious and permanent loss of vision can happen, but it is very rare.
Bladder Problems- Due to the drugs they give you to relax your muscles, it is not unusual to have difficulty in passing urine or not emptying your bladder properly. You will not be discharged until you have passed a reasonable amount of urine.
Confusion/ memory loss/ Postoperative Delirium – This is not unusual within the first few minutes of regaining consciousness and often temporary. It is however more common in patients with pre-existing memory issues or older patients and may last longer.
Damage to mouth or teeth – this can be caused by trauma from the tube inserted in your moth for breathing. Speak to the anaesthetist if you have any loose teeth, caps, or crowns.
Serious allergy to drugs - difficult to predict. Your known allergies should be clearly documented in your notes.
Equipment failure - difficult to predict.
Awareness under General Anaesthesia - Extremely rare, about 1 in 20,000 Anaesthetics.
Death due to General Anaesthesia is extremely rare in healthy patients undergoing non-emergency surgery (about 1 in 100,000 general anaesthetics).
Within the first 24 hours after a general anaesthetic, you are advised:
To have a responsible adult with you as it may affect your memory, concentration or reflexes
Not to drive a vehicle
Not to drink alcohol
References
NHS (2021) General Anaesthesia. Accessed 3 October 2022
Royal College of Anaesthesia (2019) Patient Information. Accessed 2 October 2022 https://rcoa.ac.uk/patient-information/patient-information-resources/anaesthesia-risk
Royal College of Surgeons (2021) Preoperative Assessment and Optimisation for Adult Surgery including consideration of COVID-19 and its implications - Accessed 3 October 2022