What are the risks of general anesthesia?

What are the risks of 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...

There are risks to general anesthesia. If you read the package inserts of any of the medications that are prescribed in the community, or any of the medications that you take, they would have a long history of side effects. The anesthetic agents are the same as they have side effects as well. When a patient has a general anesthetic, the risks begin from the start of the IV process. The intravenous can be placed incorrectly, it could be outside of the vein, the medication can be injected subcutaneously, and there can be an infiltrated IV with some burning of the skin, and discomfort. When the patient is brought to the operating room, and the anesthesia is induced, side effects can occur from the anesthetic agents. Side effects can be cardiac dysrhythmias, hypotension, a drop in blood pressure, hypertension, or an increase in blood pressure; all of which have adverse sequeli associated with them. This being said, these things rarely occur, and rarely have any adverse consequences.