Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
05:39
Non-Intubated Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery
Published on: May 26, 2023
Complications of general anesthesia.
Michelle Harris1, Frances Chung
1Department of Anesthesia, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst Street, McL 2-405, Toronto ON M5T 2S8, Canada.
Clinics in Plastic Surgery
|October 8, 2013
Summary
General anesthesia complications are summarized, covering incidence, risk factors, and management strategies for patient safety. This review aids in preventing and treating adverse events during surgical procedures.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Perioperative Medicine
- Surgical Safety
Background:
- General anesthesia, while essential for surgical procedures, carries inherent risks.
- Understanding potential complications is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of complications linked to general anesthesia.
- To detail the incidence, mechanisms, risk factors, and management of these complications.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing data on general anesthesia complications.
- Analysis of reported incidence rates, etiological factors, and identified risk groups.
Main Results:
- Complications vary widely in incidence and severity.
- Key risk factors include patient comorbidities and anesthetic techniques.
- Effective prevention and management strategies are outlined.
Conclusions:
- Awareness and proactive management of general anesthesia complications are vital.
- Minimizing risks involves careful patient selection, tailored anesthetic plans, and vigilant monitoring.
- Further research can refine prevention and treatment protocols.
Related Concept Videos
01:24General Anesthesia: Overview
Anesthesia is a medical procedure that uses drugs for CNS suppression to enable painless surgeries and procedures. The selection of anesthetics is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, side effects, and patient characteristics. Various types of anesthesia include general, local, regional, spinal, and inhalational.
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
01:22Stages of General Anesthesia
Various sedation levels offer significant advantages in facilitating procedural interventions for patients undergoing medical or invasive surgical procedures. These levels span from anxiolysis to general anesthesia, providing a spectrum of sedative effects to cater to specific patient needs. Anxiolysis reduces anxiety and is achieved through minimal sedation, enabling patients to remain awake and responsive while feeling more at ease during the procedure. This level can benefit minor...
01:22Complications of Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia due to insulin deficiency, resistance, or both. Prolonged hyperglycemia disrupts metabolic homeostasis and leads to acute and chronic complications.Acute ComplicationsAcute complications result from sudden metabolic imbalance.Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) mainly appears in type 1 diabetes but may also develop in type 2 diabetes, particularly under extreme stress. It arises from severe insulin deficiency,...
01:24Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
01:20Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview
Inhalation anesthetics are drugs that induce general anesthesia upon inhalation. They work by increasing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors or inhibiting NMDA receptors, leading to a decrease in central nervous system activity. The depth of anesthesia can be rapidly adjusted by changing the concentration of the inhaled gas. Some common examples of inhalational anesthetics include volatile liquids like isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and gases like xenon and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane, a...
01:12Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects
While local anesthetics are generally safe and well-tolerated, they can occasionally cause adverse effects that vary in severity. Local anesthetics can induce toxicity at two distinct levels. They can either produce local effects through direct contact with the neural elements or be absorbed into the bloodstream from the injection site, leading to systemic effects.
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...