Anesthesia
What happens later at home?
General anesthesia and a major operation can cause stress on the body. No matter what anesthesia is used,
most people feel that they are back to normal by the next day. For some people,
it may take a few days.
What are the potential complications after the procedure?
The most feared complication of anesthesia is death. This occurs
in roughly 1 out of every 10,000 people who have general, epidural, or spinal
anesthesias. It is not usually possible to predict who will have this severe
reaction.
Other problems can occur, including:
liver damage
kidney damage
seizures
low blood pressure
allergic reactions
Other problems depend on the type of anesthesia used. For example:
General anesthesia may result in mouth or throat damage. This is because a
tube is placed in the throat and connected to a
ventilator. Other mild side effects may be nausea and
vomiting.
Epidural or spinal anesthesia may cause
headaches, bleeding, or infection at the site where the needle is
inserted.
Local and topical anesthesias are less likely to cause a problem. Severe
allergic reactions, including anaphylactic
shock, and seizures have
occurred with some anesthesias.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists recently issued a warning about the
potential side effects and interactions of
herbal remedies with medications used before, during, and after surgery.
The group recommends that a person stop taking all herbs at least two weeks
before planned surgery.
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