Why is general anesthesia dangerous? Effects on the brain

An article for those who want to know detailed information about the dangers of anesthesia. Does local anesthesia or general anesthesia bring the greatest harm and danger to the human body?

Any intervention by surgeons today is performed using anesthesia. Such an achievement in the medical field of the last century is one of the great, thanks to it the level of medicine has risen.

Surgery has now become not torture, but a treatment, and mortality has noticeably decreased significantly. It is difficult to fully assess the importance and significance of anesthesia, but some patients still have considerable doubts about the safety of such an event. It is necessary to understand why anesthesia is dangerous. It turns out that a considerable number of anesthesiologists are of the opinion that anesthesia is rather dangerous. There are many risks, and, of course, sometimes lethal outcomes cannot be avoided.

The main and main causes of death from anesthesia, which specialists try to avoid, if possible, include: heart failure, allergic reaction, respiratory failure, malignant hyperthermia and, finally, the human factor. An overdose of drugs intended for anesthesia, as well as other severe chronic diseases of cardio-vascular system... It should be noted that diseases of a chronic nature are much less likely to be detected by causes of death than an excess of a drug during anesthesia.

Complications of a different nature can also be caused by an allergic reaction. Of course, it is possible to carry out an individual sensitivity test. But this can be done only in the process of local anesthesia. During general anesthesia the test will not work, so you will have to subject the patient to general anesthesia, with the existing risks and difficulties for his body. Often the reason for the appearance respiratory failure there is difficulty in intubation tube insertion or aspiration (throwing the internal contents of the stomach directly into the lungs).

Much less often pulmonary insufficiency can cause obstructive bronchitis either bronchial asthma... It is very important to note that it is not uncommon for common reason the appearance of complications during anesthesia is also the human factor, not quite correctly or not thoroughly prepared process of the operating surgical intervention... In the presence of a competent qualified anesthesiologist, as well as necessary equipment in the clinic, the risk of anesthesia is minimized.

Many people think that local anesthesia is less harmless and harmful than general anesthesia. However, local anesthesia looks harmless only at first glance. In fact, novocaine is combined with adrenaline in order to narrow the capillaries, which will further provide a long-lasting effect of anesthesia. Adrenaline, on the other hand, causes an increase in heart rate, which negatively affects those who have cardiac problems. Novocaine, as well as other drugs that are its analogues, can cause a rather serious allergy.

Local anesthesia may induce elevation blood pressure, or unexpectedly cause vasospasm. Naturally, if everything is in order with the patient's heart and blood pressure, then local anesthesia does not threaten this person. If the patient has problems with blood pressure and heart, then local anesthesia is directly contraindicated for him. And therefore, any conscientious dentist, before applying local anesthesia, should mandatory ask the patient about his condition. And most likely, having heard complaints, for example, of hypertension or heart problems, he will advise you to do general anesthesia, rather than risk your health when using local anesthesia.

The development of anesthesiology has made a significant leap forward, and today general anesthesia is not so dangerous for the life of seriously ill people. However, it still remains a threat to human health, and, in particular, to the brain and to the preservation of normal mental activity and functioning. It is noted that after undergoing general anesthesia, many patients experience a decrease in cognitive abilities. Memory lapses may appear, various behavioral changes can be noticed, and the sharpness of thinking is also sharply dulled. Such symptoms may well last for several months.

"Red Army Commander" Comrade Frunze died in 1925 during surgery... One of the versions of his death was the complication of anesthesia. Can you die from anesthesia today?

In 1846, American dentist Thomas Morton performed the first operation under ether anesthesia, opening a new page in medicine. Since then, October 16 is celebrated as World Anesthesia Day.

Did you know? The most ancient anesthetics were opium and alcohol - they were used in operations in India and Ancient Rome... Later, such methods of anesthesia appeared as putting ice on a limb and clamping carotid artery to make the patient lose consciousness. Pharmacological anesthesia did not really begin until the 19th century. Cocaine was previously widely used as a local anesthetic.

The essence of anesthesia is that under the influence of anesthetic drugs nerve cells lose the ability to transmit signals and create dynamically ordered links. Simply put, the body no longer reacts to stimuli in the way it should, and the signal that it is experiencing pain simply does not form (local anesthesia) or is not perceived (anesthesia).

There are many myths and prejudices about anesthesia. For example, there is a widespread rumor that anesthesia shortens life. In fact, this is not the case, but some complications of anesthesia are indeed possible.

1. In general, anesthesia is safer than traveling in a car, but more dangerous than flying in an airplane. According to statistics, there is one death under anesthesia for 50-250 thousand operations. If we compare with the statistics of accidents, then one death will occur in 10 thousand trips by car, and one death in a million flights.

2. Under general anesthesia (anesthesia), the pharyngeal and laryngeal reflexes are suppressed. Under anesthesia, the patient cannot separate Airways and the digestive tract, as it normally does. Previously, this could lead to serious problems breathing due to liquid entering the airways, but today anesthesiologists use special tubes for the trachea, and the patient is instructed before surgery that he should not eat or drink.

3. Very rare, but severe complication General anesthesia is the so-called malignant hyperthermia. In patients with a genetic predisposition to this complication, certain (not all!) Drugs for anesthesia cause a gross violation of metabolic processes in the muscles. This is manifested by circulatory and respiratory disorders, sometimes - fever (hence the name!) And can end in death. For more than 30 years, a drug has been known - dantrolene - that can cope with the disease, but it has not yet been registered in our country. Unfortunately, there are no reliable symptoms that could tell the anesthesiologist in advance that his patient is predisposed to this serious complication. Diagnosis of such a predisposition requires complex special analyzes. However, if you or any of your relatives have experienced any complications during surgery, be sure to tell the anesthesiologist about it. If you give high fever easily, do not tolerate coffee or high temperature environment, it is also necessary to inform the doctor about this.

4. Complications are possible with local anesthesia. Local anesthetic drugs can cause allergic reactions, and high doses are toxic. This leads to shock, heart rhythm disturbances, seizures. Therefore, in all medical institutions who use local anesthesia should be equipped with emergency care... Yet these complications are rare. One of the responsibilities of an anesthesiologist is to prevent them. And the likelihood of facing serious problems with anesthesia today is negligible. Think how much worse it would be to do surgery without her ...

What is the danger of anesthesia for the elderly: consequences for the body in old age

In recent decades, the surgical field of medicine has made significant progress.

Thanks to modern technologies doctors perform surgeries on patients of various age groups, in particular, on the elderly, who are over 70 years old.

Any surgical intervention is accompanied by the use of anesthesia, the effect of which is difficult to predict.

How older people tolerate anesthesia depends on many factors, but the main danger is the high risk of complications after some time.

Age-related changes in the human body

With age, various changes occur in the human body, functional capabilities decrease, the heart wears out, the working capacity of most organs and systems deteriorates.

There are signs of aging that become noticeable in the first place: the appearance of wrinkles, deterioration in skin color, deterioration in physical capabilities.

The aging mechanism is quite complex and individual in each a separate case, so the aging process for each person progresses differently.

The following changes occur in the human body with age:

• the sensitivity of nerve cells decreases;
• blood supply deteriorates, which leads to cell aging and a decrease in the efficiency of the central nervous system;
• heart function worsens;
• the blood becomes thicker;
• atherosclerotic plaques appear on the vessels;
• the work of the respiratory system decreases: in the lungs occur dystrophic changes, their vital capacity decreases;
• the majority of elderly people have a reduced level of hemoglobin in the blood;
• in men, prostate hypertrophy develops in old age, which leads to deterioration of kidney function.

Deterioration in the functioning of the body increases the risk of complications after anesthesia in the elderly: anesthesia drugs are slower to act on the patient, and recovery from anesthesia is longer and more difficult. However, this is not a contraindication for surgery in old age.

How should older people prepare for anesthesia?

Physical and mental health becomes more susceptible to various stimuli with age.

To assess the effect of anesthesia on the body and development possible consequences doctors conduct a comprehensive examination.

Diagnostic measures consist of:

1. surrender laboratory analysis blood and urine - the level of erythrocytes and hemoglobin is checked, with a reduced number, it may be necessary to prescribe iron-rich drugs or a blood transfusion; the ESR content is assessed; general analysis urine allows you to assess the performance of the kidneys;
2. ECG - a study of the heart rhythm, in violation of which general anesthesia can be replaced with local anesthesia;
3. Ultrasound abdominal cavity- carried out to assess internal organs, their size, the presence of pathological processes;
4. blood sugar - almost half of the elderly population suffers from diabetes mellitus, which reduces the function circulatory system; when glucose deviates from normal performance decline regeneration processes, which delays the healing of postoperative wounds;
5. blood clotting;
6. a blood test for biochemistry;
7. blood group and rhesus factor;
8. RW, HIV, hepatitis C and B;
9. Fluorography.

The doctor carefully examines the patient's medical history, in particular information about allergic reactions to drugs.

Types of anesthesia

To minimize the risks of recovering from anesthesia after surgery for an elderly person, it is important to choose the most safe method anesthesia.

Exists a large number of types of anesthesia, the most commonly used are local, general, combined and combined.

When combined, combine the use of different methods one type of anesthesia, such as inhalation and non-inhalation, and others. The combined type is the combined use of general and local anesthesia.

For older people with minor surgical interventions use local anesthesia or neuroleptanalgesia ( intravenous anesthesia, in which the patient is conscious, but sensations are absent).

Local

Local anesthesia is a reduction or complete elimination of painful sensations in a specific area of ​​the skin.

Classification:

• Superficial - an anesthetic is applied to the operated area of ​​the mucous membrane or skin.
• Infiltration - the patient is given an injection to block nerve conduction.
• Conductive - the anesthetic is injected into the paraneural space and blocks transmission nerve impulses along a large nerve trunk.
• Spinal - The drug is injected into the cerebrospinal fluid using a lumbar puncture.
• Epidural (epidural) - anesthetic is injected through a catheter into the epidural space of the spine.

General

General anesthesia in the elderly is used for extensive, severe interventions accompanied by severe pain.

The analgesic effect is achieved by suppressing the brain and subcortical structures.

Classification based on the route of administration:

1. the medicine is injected through a vein;
2. mask - the drug is supplied together with vapors through a mask.

Recovery of the body after surgery

To reduce negative consequences anesthesia in the elderly is very important to provide the necessary psychological and physical care.

Patients who underwent surgery under general anesthesia are monitored for blood pressure, heart rate, and an ECG is performed.

Elderly people should be closely monitored by an anesthesiologist 24 hours a day.

Elderly people after anesthesia need comprehensive help:

• wound treatment and appointment antibacterial drugs: correct disinfection postoperative sutures and changing the dressing is the prevention of the development of a purulent process; antibiotics are necessary to exclude the penetration of infection into the wound and a weakened body, since the elderly have an increased susceptibility to pneumonia and other inflammatory processes;
• normalization of the level of electrolyte balance (potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium) in the body: an increase in temperature indicators after surgery leads to fluid loss and, accordingly, electrolyte imbalance, if not taken measures, this can lead to a violation of the heart rate, heart rhythm and the appearance of seizures ;
• constant temperature control: high numbers and too low ones require urgent medical attention;
• psychological support of the patient: classes with a psychologist or support of loved ones allow avoiding some mental disorders that can develop after severe stress.

Possible complications

Older people are at increased risk of developing severe consequences of anesthesia after surgery.

One of the most common is the onset of senile dementia.

To talk about the danger of general anesthesia for the elderly, it should be noted that a disease such as dementia does not manifest itself immediately.

It may take several weeks or even years before the first symptoms appear after surgery.

More often, the following complications occur in older people after anesthesia:

1. (more often develops in women after surgical interventions on the pelvic organs);
2. Reactive paranoiditis - psychoses, accompanied by delusional ideas, auditory and visual hallucinations. Patients are not aware of the severity of their condition.
3. - the most common disorder after anesthesia in the elderly. It is characterized by severe mental disorders, develops mainly a few days after the operation. The duration of psychosis ranges from 2-4 hours to several years. As a rule, the patient, together with specialists, manages to get rid of psychosis and restore full mental balance. It occurs more often in patients who have undergone heart surgery.

Conclusion

In old age, any stress is difficult to bear.

The functions of the central nervous system suffer more often, which leads to unpredictable consequences. For older people, the more difficult the operation, the more dangerous the anesthesia.

In order to prevent possible complications it is necessary to conduct full examination patient before surgery and select the most appropriate type of anesthesia on an individual basis.

Video: General anesthesia

Since general anesthesia has been used in medicine, it has become possible to carry out complex operations without fear that the operated person will die from painful shock.

However, the consequences of anesthesia can be quite dangerous.

Let's figure out how general anesthesia is harmful for a person, how it affects the body, and what complications it can give.

Why are patients afraid of anesthesia?

Many patients are not so much afraid of the intervention itself as they are worried that they will be put into a state of general anesthesia. This is due to the many myths and rumors surrounding anesthesia.

Indeed, in the history of medicine, cases are described when a narcotic substance did not have desired effect, and additional administration of the drug led to the death of the patient.

The second thing that general anesthesia is dangerous, according to patients, is a state when a person is immobilized, but he is aware of everything and feels pain. Such fears are justified, and in practice, this happens in about 0.2% of cases.

Side effects of anesthetics

Today, many different anesthetics have been developed, and which of them will be used in a particular case, is determined by the anesthesiologist. His choice depends on the type and complexity of the surgical intervention, whether the patient has contraindications to certain types of drugs. The experience and qualifications of the anesthesiologist are important.

Surgical pain relief drugs that provide general anesthesia are potent and have a number of side effects.

About a third of patients after general anesthesia feel gagging, dizziness. These effects are due to a drop in blood pressure. The patient needs to move away from anesthesia while lying down without eating.

Confusion of thoughts, biased assessments of reality, behavior deviating from the norm during withdrawal from anesthesia are more often observed in elderly patients. As the effect of the anesthetic weakening, this condition disappears.

Tremors of the limbs and head, general tremors of the body can be triggered by some types of anesthetics. It is safe and takes no more than half an hour.

The consequences of anesthesia can be an itchy sensation on the skin. This effect should be reported to the doctor, since it can equally indicate an allergy to medications, so about the side effects of morphine-type anesthetics.

Pain in the back after general anesthesia can bother the patient for a period from several hours to several days, and is explained by a long stay in the supine position. Muscle pains are most often noted by young men. Some patients complain of sore throat. They can be quite long and cause serious discomfort.

The harmful side effects of anesthetic drugs may not appear at all. What consequences general anesthesia will have, whether it will harm or disappear without a trace, depends on many factors. Anesthesiologists try to take these into account, but it is not always possible to predict what the side effects of anesthesia will be.

The effect of anesthetics on the body

The harm of general anesthesia is not discussed, since this is a generally recognized fact, because strong narcotic substances are used for it. Let's figure out how general anesthesia works, what consequences it can have on the body.

Most dangerous complications that can occur in people from general anesthesia is a deterioration in the functioning of the central nervous system, decreased cognitive functions of the brain. In addition, the consequences of general anesthesia can lead to decreased performance, sleep disorders, impairment of the ability to memorize information, impaired concentration.

The harm of anesthesia is sometimes noted for a long time in the form panic attacks, partial memory loss, dysfunction of the heart, liver and kidneys.

Such complications of anesthesia are caused by the death of brain neurons or a microstroke due to a decrease in intracranial pressure under the influence of anesthetic. The asthenic effect of anesthesia can be aggravated by such factors as old age, the presence of severe pathologies, an overdose of a narcotic substance.

Potential consequences and complications of general anesthesia

Let's figure out how anesthesia is harmful more specifically.

To the most dangerous consequences anesthesia in adults and children is of varying severity of damage to the central nervous system, infection of the lungs, damage to nerve fibers, eyes. With the endotracheal method of administration of anesthetic, it is possible mechanical damage oral cavity and teeth.

Even the most qualified anesthesiologist cannot predict in advance what effect a particular drug will have in a particular case. To prevent complications and predict possible consequences, the patient undergoes a comprehensive examination.

However, the development anaphylactic shock all the same it is impossible to exclude. About 5% of cases are so strong allergic reaction on the anesthetic is fatal.

One of the most unpleasant complications is the return of consciousness during surgery. A state of immobility and pain can be harmful to the psyche, especially if the patient is a child.

Effects on the heart

Heart failure, a recent heart attack are absolute contraindications for surgery under general anesthesia. When assessing the risks, doctors compare the possibility of saving the patient's life with and without radical treatment methods.

People who have a history of ischemic disease, tachycardia, hypertension or hypotension, arrhythmia, cardiomyalgia or other diseases of the cardiovascular system are carefully examined before surgery.

It is necessary to assess how dangerous surgery is for a person with such a health condition. If a decision is made to perform a life-saving operation, the anesthesiologist must determine the least hazardous drug. Anesthesia can affect the deterioration of the condition of heart patients.

Impact on children

If a child needs an operation, they try to postpone it as long as possible, so that he grows up and gains strength. However, there are cases when it is impossible to hesitate, and the child is on the operating table. Complications in children over two years of age are quite rare.

When there is an opportunity to wait, doctors do not recommend performing surgeries under the age of 4-5 years. Today, the level of development of pharmacology is such that drugs used in pediatrics, including anesthetics, have a minimum of side and harmful effects.

Greatest danger general anesthesia represents for elderly people, in whose body all processes, including regeneration, are slowed down, and for patients suffering from serious diseases.

If a person is generally healthy, with the exception of indications for surgery, does not have excess weight, problems with the cardiovascular and central nervous system, adheres to the norms healthy way life, the consequences will be minimal.

According to surveys, anesthesia scares a person more than the operation itself. Patients experience an overwhelming fear of falling asleep during surgery, but they are even more afraid of not recovering after surgery. And even realizing the need to administer anesthetics, patients still have many questions to the anesthesiologist. In this article, we will talk about the sensations experienced by patients under anesthesia, and find out - is anesthesia harmful?

Why is anesthesia needed?

The vast majority of operations are performed using anesthesia. It is necessary for a person to anesthetize the body, and therefore to prevent pain shock. In addition, the administration of anesthetic helps monitor the patient's heart rate and pressure changes. Moreover, thanks to anesthesia, a person simply does not remember the details of the operation, which protects his body from stress. Yes and postoperative recovery in this case it goes much faster.

Anesthesia options

V general sense anesthesia can be divided into two types:

1. Local anesthesia
During this procedure, a special solution is injected into the tissues to be operated, due to which the passage of nerve impulses is inhibited. At the same time, the patient feels numbness in a certain part of the body and does not feel any interference in the tissue at all. Such anesthesia is considered the safest, although it is suitable only for simple operations, for example, in dentistry.

2. General anesthesia
The most dangerous is general anesthesia, because with it on certain time the patient's consciousness is completely turned off and he falls asleep. There is no need to fear general anesthesia. After its introduction, the patient feels absolutely nothing, quickly and easily plunging into deep sleep, and also calmly leaving it.

Can anesthesia be harmful

It is unlikely that anesthesia can be called a blessing for the body, but it is a conscious need to avoid death and other consequences of pain shock. Moreover, if the vital organs and systems of the patient worked normally during the operation, and the patient himself did not see unpleasant hallucinations, it can be concluded that the anesthesia did not harm the body. Usually, after waking up, patients experience not the most pleasant sensations. As a rule, these are:

• dizziness and sore throat;
• severe weakness;
• nausea and vomiting;
• pain in muscles, back, or lower back;
• confusion of consciousness;
• trembling in the limbs;

A qualified anesthesiologist is responsible for the patient's safety during surgery. Its primary task is to assess a person's readiness for an operation. To do this, the specialist must study the patient's card, check the cardiogram, find out if there is inflammatory processes, a tendency to bleeding, as well as allergies to the injected anesthetic. The consequences of the introduction of anesthesia largely depend on this test. If the doctor has doubts about the safety of anesthesia, he is obliged to postpone the operation, even against the wishes of the surgeon and the patient. Otherwise, serious consequences of anesthesia cannot be ruled out:

• injuries to the teeth, lips and tongue;
• nerve damage;
• damage to the eyes;
• anaphylactic shock;
• damage to the cerebral cortex;
• death.

Considering that anesthesia temporarily inhibits the functioning of the nervous system, it is impossible to exclude harmful ones that may appear after the patient is discharged from the clinic. Most often, people who have undergone surgery complain of hair loss, sleep disturbances, and memory impairment, which can be both mild and pronounced.

Having figured out whether anesthesia is harmful, one has only to understand that the likelihood of the above symptoms increases significantly in cases where the child is operated on. Health to you and your children!