Side Effects and Complications
Is Anaesthesia Safe?
Your anaesthetist has spent many years of training to make sure that you are safe during surgery. They are constantly monitoring for changes in breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, depth of anaesthesia and unexpected events which although rare, may occur during surgery. It is this training and standards set by the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists that has made anaesthesia here in Australia as safe if not safer than anywhere in the world.
You can help by making some simple modifications to your lifestyle. For example, regular exercise and weight loss can reduce your anaesthetic risk and improve your long term health. If you smoke, try to stop smoking now. Stopping smoking several weeks before your operation may reduce your chances of getting complications and again, also improve your long term health.
What are the side effects of general anaesthesia?
Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting affects some people more than others and it occurs more after certain types of surgical procedures. There are special types of medications that anaesthetists give to try to prevent vomiting however, there is always a risk that you mayl become sick after an anaesthetic. If you have been sick after previous anaesthetics or if you are prone to motion sickness, please discuss this with your anaesthetist.Pain
Your anaesthetist will try to make sure that you wake after your operation as comfortable as possible. However, people vary greatly with their pain relief requirements for surgery and pain control techniques make need to be adjusted. If you wake with pain in recovery, you will be given extra pain relief quickly.Sore Throat
While you are asleep, an airway or breathing tube is inserted into the throat to make sure that you can breath well. This may cause a small amount of discomfort which may last for a day or two.Skin Bruising
The skin may bruise at the site of an intravenous drip or other injections.Dental Damage
Occasionally teeth may get damaged during an anaesthetic. Let your anaesthetist know if you have loose teeth, crowns or bridgework.
Allergic Reaction
Although uncommon, there is a small chance that you may get a reaction from an anaesthetic drug. These reactions can vary from a rash to more serious breathing and blood pressure problems. Your anaesthetist is trained to manage these uncommon emergencies.Breathing problems
Anaesthesia can cause breathing problems. These problems are more common in people with pre-existing asthma or other medical problems such as obstructive sleep apnoea. Another serious complication can occur if stomach contents get into the lungs and damage them. This is the reason that you have to be fasted before your operation.Heart Attack
Heart attacks during anaesthesia is uncommon. However, patients especially at risk are those with pre-existing heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure.
Stroke
Strokes occur when there is an interruption of blood supply to the brain. It is uncommon in patients that are fit prior to surgery. At risk patients are those with a previous history of strokes, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
