Nothing
in life is without risk (including crossing the road) Anaesthesia
is often compared to flying a plane - both are hazardous and seldom things
go wrong. Anaesthesia
and Surgery are hazardous because it alters the functions of important
organs in the body especially the brain, heart and lungs. Disease
is another factor that affects the body in a wide variety of ways. A
serious disturbance in one important organ system can rapidly produce
serious disturbances in other organs.Since medical science does not fully
understand the workings of the body in health and disease, the effects of
Anaesthesia and Surgery on the body are not entirely predictable In
recent years, in Australia about 1 in every 70,000 having an
operation have died because of a problem with the anaesthetic. ·
Allergic reactions to drugs
explain some of these deaths ·
Anaesthesia and surgery can
result in o serious damage to the brain, spinal cord, heart, liver, lungs, and
kidneys. (examples are heart attacks, strokes) o less serious complications include damage to the teeth, throat,
eyes, arteries, veins, nerves, bones, joints and skin. o very infrequently a patient may be “aware” of some discomfort
during the operation or may have an epileptic fit afterwards. o Headaches occasionally occur after
epidural and spinal anaesthesia. o Blood transfusions may cause allergic reactions and transmission
of infections, e.g. Aids, Hepatitis o Nausea, vomiting and sore throat and shivering are common after Anaesthesia and Surgery. o All the other complications mentioned are rare. The
risk of complications increases as illness becomes more serious and the
operation more major When considering the risk of
having an anaesthetic you must also think about the risks involved in not
having the operation at all. Your Anaesthetist
understands that coming to surgery can be a stressful experience so please
raise any concerns you have with them.
.
Risks of Anaesthesia