What are the causes of mortality under general anesthesia?

What are the causes of mortality under general anesthesia?

Samuel Seelig (Anesthesiologist, Los Angeles, California) gives expert video advice on: What are the risks of general anesthesia?; Is it true that some people remain aware during surgery, despite anesthesia?; What is the safest method of anesthesia? and more...

The causes of mortalitly under general anesthesia relate mostly to airway management. As we mentioned, securing of the airway is paramount when you first anesthetize a patient. It may be difficut to secure the airway because of anatomic difficulties. The patient can have an abcess, a large abcess in the mouth. He can have a mass in the throat. Some airway problems are unexpected, others are anticipated. But the bulk of the complications are related to the airway management of a patient. After that, cardiac disrhythmias become significant in elderly patients, or in patients who might have electrolyte imbalance, for one reason or another. Another reason for mortatity would be aspiration of stomach contents. The patients are supposed to be NPO, Nothing Per Os, not eat anything after midnight the night before surgery. Some people have delayed emptying of their stomach, diabetics in particular, and they may have a full stomach despite their best efforts. Other emergency cases, patients have full stomachs and they need surgery, status post haste, and you have to protect against aspiration in those patieints as well. There are other genetic abnormalities such as malignant hyperthermia which can cause mortality in the operating room. And then there is, of course, surgeon error. It can be nursing mistakes. And the anesthesia machine itself can fail. You have to be constantly vigilant that that is working properly.