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Having an Anesthetic Procedure is Well Worth the Risk!

Don’t worry, I’m not saying that you need to have anesthesia (an-iss-thee-zuh) for every procedure you have; however, I am saying that when you actually do need one, it will definitely be in your best interest to go through with it.

Reason One: No Pain

But you might be thinking, “it might not work,” so let me tell you more about it. There are three different types of anesthesia according to WebMD, a widely used website specifically tailored to helping the public with information; they list the three types of anesthesia as: Local, Regional, and General Anesthesia. Local Anesthesia is used to numb a small part of the body for minor procedures, such as minor dental work. Regional Anesthesia is used to block pain to a larger part of your body, such as an epidural. General Anesthesia, is used to affect your brain and the rest of your body, such as going completely “under,” (losing consciousness). All of these types of anesthesia are important to complete the specific task at hand.

You may be asking yourself, “What’s the purpose of anesthesia?” According to SurgeryEncyclopedia.com, a website written by various experts in the field of surgery and has been written specifically for healthcare students and patients, “anesthetics are used to prevent patients from feeling pain during medical, surgical, or dental procedures.” Which, I’m sure you would agree, with no pain, there will be total gain! According to The Office of Anesthesiology & Dental Consultants, there are countless types of surgical, cosmetic, pediatric, oral surgery, routine dental, and so many more, different types of procedures that would be nearly impossible without the assistance of anesthesia.

Some people might even say that cosmetic surgeries are just that —cosmetic— and shouldn’t be performed with anesthesia. But I want you to think about someone, you may know, or love, who has been severely burned, and needs the pain relief, both physically and emotionally, of the cosmetic procedure. Without anesthesia they cannot receive the much needed pain relief.

Reason Two: Specialized Attention
You may be thinking that you are going to be “asleep” with no attention being provided to you; however, that is highly inaccurate. While you’re under the effects of anesthesia, you will be in the immediate supervision of highly trained Doctors, and their assistants. According to the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, for their cardiothoracic patients:

The general anesthesia you receive before surgery will allow you to sleep during the operation. This anesthetic, which will quickly put you to sleep, is usually given by injection through an intravenous line into your vein. The cardiothoracic anesthesiologist assigned to you will be assisted by a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in the operating room. No anesthesia will be started without the direct supervision of your cardiothoracic anesthesiologist.

And that’s not only for cardiothoracic patients, all General anesthesia procedures have that kind of attention given. The anesthesiologist will be your main life support, sitting directly at your head during the entire procedure, and according to MHA Health Careers Center:

Other duties may include recording the type and amount of anesthesia administered, maintaining the patient’s vital life functions (i.e. heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and breathing) through continual monitoring and assessment during surgery, and conferring with other physicians and surgeons to determine the condition of a patient before, during, and after sedation.

Also, take a moment to picture the stress the O.R. staff may be having. They may all be under a heavy volume of stress due to factors such as; prior unsuccessful procedures, difficult family situations, extended shifts, or even just have a case of “the Mondays.” The last thing you would ever want is to add on top of that stress, by having the doctors know that you are in extreme pain. So with you being under the effects of anesthesia, the procedure can go by smoother, which is a Win–Win situation for both you, and the staff.

Prior to the procedure (when it’s possible) you will be able to ask your anesthesiologist any questions, and go over any concerns you have. “Your doctor or nurse [CRNA] may prefer one type of anesthesia over another for your surgery. In some cases, your doctor or nurse may let you choose which type to have. Sometimes, such as in an emergency, you don't get to choose (WebMD).” Their only patient during the entire process is you. Starting with your preoperative evaluation continuing into the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit), also known as the recovery room, they are with you, watching your vital signs and resuscitating you back to life, until you are capable of leaving healthily. According to Lifeline to Modern Medicine, the anesthesiologist is observing:

Evidence of recovery – including activity level, adequacy of breathing, circulation, level of consciousness and oxygen saturation – is continuously monitored. Pain control is optimized. In most cases, the anesthesiologist decides when the patient has recovered enough to be sent home following outpatient surgery or has been stabilized sufficiently to be moved to a regular room in the medical facility or transferred to an intensive care unit.

So as you can tell, you will never be alone during any type of procedure requiring anesthesia.

Reason Three: Benefits Outweigh the Risk

You might also be thinking, “I’m too worried about the risks,” and you’re right about risks being involved. But, the chances of a negative outcome happening are so extremely rare that the benefits you will lose out on, far outweigh the risks.

Some of the highly unlikely risks that can occur, according to the Mayo Clinic, “The following complications are rare and occur more frequently in older adults or in people who have medical problems: Temporary mental confusion, Lung infections, Stroke, Heart attack, Death.” While those complications definitely sound dangerous, let me demonstrate some statistics according to Right Diagnosis (Incidence rare statistics in the USA):

• Estimated 0.724 anesthesia complications occurred per 1,000 surgical discharges in the US 2000.
• Estimated 0.718 anesthesia complications occurred per 1,000 surgical discharges of people aged 0 to 17 in the US 2000.
• Estimated 0.0606 anesthesia complications occurred per 1,000 surgical discharges of people aged 45 to 64 in the US 2000.
• Estimated 0.58 anesthesia complications occurred per 1,000 surgical discharges of people aged 18 to 44 in the US 2000.

All of these statistics are from the National Healthcare Quality Report, AHRQ, DHHS, 2003.

As you can see the numbers are extremely low, and I would ask you to not let fear deny you from the amazing world of anesthesia. Having the comfort of knowing there will be no pain will reduce your anxiety in whole, and you get the procedure you deserve.

Works Cited

Lifeline to Modern Medicine. The Role of the Anesthesiologist. n.d. 31 July 2012 <http://www.lifelinetomodernmedicine.com/Who-Is-An-Anesthesiologist/The-Role-of-the-Anesthesiologist.aspx>.

Mayo Clinic. General anesthesia – Risks. 26 June 2010. 31 July 2012 <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/anesthesia/MY00100/DSECTION=risks>.

MHA Health Careers Center. Anesthesiologist. 2002. 31 July 2012 <http://www.mshealthcareers.com/careers/anesthesiologist.htm>.

OADC. Types of Procedures that Require Anesthesia:. n.d. 30 July 2012 <http://officeanesthesiology.com/types-of-procedures-that-require-anesthesia.html>.

Right Diagnosis. Statistics about Anesthesia Complications. 1 February 2012. 31 July 2012 <http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/a/anesthesia_complications/stats.htm>.

Surgery Encyclopedia. Anesthesia, Local. 2007. 30 July 2012 <http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/A-Ce/Anesthesia-Local.html>.

USC. A Patient's Guide to Heart Surgery. n.d. 30 July 2012 <http://www.cts.usc.edu/hpg-arrivingintheoperatingroom.html>.


WebMD. WebMD Pain Management Health Center. 30 September 2011. 30 July 2012 <http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/tc/anesthesia-topic-overview>.