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You Are Not “Asleep” Under Anesthesia

Ed Mariano

“You will be asleep for your surgery,” anesthesiologists often reassure their patients. Just before the start of anesthesia, a patient may hear the operating room nurse saying, “Think of a nice dream as you go off to sleep.” Akshay Shanker and Emery Brown explain brain wave patterns found in patients under general anesthesia.

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DYING UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA

The Anesthesia Consultant

You’re an anesthesiologist and you’re contacted by a patient who is dying of cancer. Will you enable dying under general anesthesia? A recent article from the United Kingdom discussed this topic of end of life anesthesia , otherwise known as “terminal anesthesia.” Is anyone doing terminal anesthesia anywhere?

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Regional Anesthesia vs. General Anesthesia for Hip Fracture

DFW Anesthesia Professionals

In choosing the most appropriate anesthesia technique, healthcare providers consider several factors to optimize patient outcomes and enhance recovery. Regional anesthesia (RA) and general anesthesia (GA) are the two primary methods used for hip fracture surgeries.

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HOW LONG DOES GENERAL ANESTHESIA LAST?

The Anesthesia Consultant

How long will the anesthesia last?” The query “How long does general anesthesia last?” When your surgery ends, your anesthesiologist will turn off the sevoflurane in your inhaled gas mixture, and 90% of the sevoflurane is typically ventilated away in the first 10-15 minutes. Will I Have a Breathing Tube During Anesthesia?

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INTRAVENOUS CAFFEINE FOLLOWING GENERAL ANESTHESIA

The Anesthesia Consultant

Data exists that intravenous caffeine may be effective in assisting the awakening of patients following general anesthesia. Will future anesthesiologists routinely use caffeine to wake patients after surgery? Will a shot of IV espresso be the stimulus for you to return to consciousness after your general anesthetic?

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DOES GENERAL ANESTHESIA CAUSE DEMENTIA?

The Anesthesia Consultant

Does exposure to general anesthesia cause dementia? Association of Mild Cognitive Impairment With Exposure to General Anesthesia for Surgical and Nonsurgical Procedures: A Population-Based Study. Why Did Take Me So Long To Wake From General Anesthesia? Will I Have a Breathing Tube During Anesthesia?

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SMOOTH EMERGENCE FROM GENERAL ANESTHESIA

The Anesthesia Consultant

Anesthesiologists prefer their patients to have a gentle transition from the anesthetized state into the awake state. When the general anesthetic requires an endotracheal tube, an issue is how to awaken the patient with minimal patient coughing and bucking while the tube remains in the trachea. The desired goal is “smooth emergence.”