Anesthesia for strabismus surgery. Does general anesthesia affect vision? An interesting fragment from the program “Live Healthy” about ptosis of the upper eyelid
The influence of anesthesia on the human body and its consequences are always taken into account and assessed in conjunction with the risks of refusing surgical intervention. If it is possible to avoid surgery under anesthesia (there are other treatment methods), then it is quite clear that it is better to do it. But when refusing surgery can entail much more consequences than the effects of anesthetics, then there is only one way out in this situation. In any case, this issue is decided by the patient’s attending physician and anesthesiologist.
How does general anesthesia affect the human body?
Complete loss of consciousness and sensitivity is a method that is used only during the most difficult and lengthy operations, when it is impossible otherwise. How does anesthesia affect the human body: he loses consciousness, while all muscles completely relax, which makes it possible to perform the operation and avoid painful shock for the patient.
General anesthesia is divided into three types:
- Intramuscular.
Only the anesthesiologist decides which one will be used during the operation - he is guided by the patient’s illness picture. It is this doctor who selects a unique formula of drugs for each patient in order to put the patient to sleep, prevent pain shock from developing, and bring him out of sleep with minimal discomfort.
Almost every patient is concerned about how anesthesia affects the human body. Its main action is to “turn off” the brain. In medicine, there is even a special term that characterizes the effect on the brain - post-operative cognitive dysfunction. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- Memory impairment.
- Deterioration in learning.
- Severe decrease in concentration.
These symptoms may last for up to a year after surgery. More details on how can be found in another article.
What is the effect of general anesthesia after surgery?
Given that the brain is the engine of our body, how can shutting it down affect other organs and senses?
Does anesthesia affect vision?
It doesn’t affect the eyes themselves, but the connection between the brain and what a person sees can be influenced. A person sees a picture, which is transmitted to our “processor”, and then processing occurs. Considering that the effect of general anesthesia on the human body comes down to “turning off the processor,” that is, the brain, it needs time to adjust its work after such a reboot. The first days after “switching off” there may be blurred vision, and sometimes even blindness. But usually such symptoms go away within a couple of weeks.
The effect of anesthesia on the nervous system
It is noted that more than 80% of patients become nervous after surgery. Even after several months, they may experience panic attacks.
The influence of anesthesia on the human psyche
Many patients may experience hallucinations after surgery. This does not last long, but is still common. This consequence often occurs after very long operations, when the brain has been in sleep mode for a very long time.
How it affects the kidneys, liver and heart
It is worth knowing that there can be negative consequences for the kidneys, liver and heart. What is pain relief? These are the strongest chemicals. Therefore, there is a colossal effect on the kidneys, because they are the ones who must remove this drug from the body. In most cases, such general anesthesia is contraindicated in people with kidney failure.
Unfortunately, the answer to the question – does anesthesia affect the liver is also positive. This organ is a filter, which bears the brunt of the drugs. There are even special diets that are used after such anesthesia to minimize risks to the liver and quickly bring it back to normal.
Also, such manipulation is extremely poorly tolerated by the cardiovascular system. There may be strong surges in blood pressure and increased heart rate. More details on how can be found on our website.
How does anesthesia affect a child's body?
Before surgery, parents are always concerned about the question of whether anesthesia affects the health of their children. Unfortunately yes. Many studies have been conducted and they have confirmed that general anesthesia has a strong effect on the nervous system of children, and can also lead to the death of some cells in the brain. At a very early age, such manipulations can lead to developmental inhibition. Some children may lag behind their peers, but usually later catch up quickly.
Therefore, anything can be done to a child under general anesthesia only in the most critical cases. The more developed the child is, the older, the greater the chance that the operation will bring a minimum of negative consequences.
Prevention of complications
How anesthesia affects the body becomes clear after talking with an anesthesiologist. But the question is: is it possible to minimize the risks? There are a few simple rules:
- A week before surgery, avoid heavy foods. Eliminate everything fatty, smoked and fried.
- Avoid alcohol and smoking.
- Do not take any additional pain medications.
- Set yourself up for a positive outcome. The psychological mood of the patient is very important both for himself and for the doctor.
- After surgery, follow a special diet that is aimed at facilitating liver function and improving brain function. After all, there may be problems with memory after surgery. How, you can read here. Therefore, it is important to stimulate the brain.
These simple axioms will help you undergo surgery with the least risks and complications.
Conclusion
How anesthesia affects the human body is one of the most common questions asked by an anesthesiologist. Almost 90% are afraid not of the operation itself, but of general anesthesia. Yes, there are risks, but most often they are not commensurate with the risk of refusing surgery. The main effect is on the brain, liver and kidneys. Therefore, after the intervention, memory problems, panic attacks, nausea, and pain are possible. Anesthesia has a particularly detrimental effect on young children, so if possible they try not to undergo operations under general anesthesia.
It is worth knowing that anesthesia does not affect life expectancy in any way. Previously it was believed that it takes 5 years, but this is just a myth. In practice, such a hypothesis could not be proven.
I created this project to tell you in simple language about anesthesia and anesthesia. If you received an answer to your question and the site was useful to you, I will be glad to receive support; it will help further develop the project and compensate for the costs of its maintenance.
Seeing the world is an important value given by nature. But, in addition to congenital vision problems, there may also be acquired disorders that affect visual function in a far from positive way. So, why does vision deteriorate? There can be a lot of reasons; naturally, it will not be possible to cover everything, and besides, the disruption of any processes in the body is individual. We can only describe the most common problems, and most importantly, look at methods of prevention, treatment, and, if possible, correction or restoration of vision.
Causes
Age-related changes (after 40)
Indeed, the fact that the lens deforms over time has long been proven. Therefore, people after 40 may notice worsening vision or unusual symptoms. Usually the deformation occurs in the direction of farsightedness. A person who previously had 100% vision may, after 40 years of age, notice how distant objects are more clearly visible than near ones.
In particular, such changes are more likely if a person has experienced high nervous tension and mental stress throughout his life. But changes in the direction of myopia more often appear if there has been a lot of stress on the eyes during life. For example, vision in the “-” direction may deteriorate in jewelers, writers, photographers, designers - in people whose activities directly depend on visual strain, especially if this is reinforced by nervous tension associated with high responsibility.
It is almost impossible to avoid such age-related changes after 40. But it's worth warning. To do this, it is advisable to periodically take a course of eye vitamins. They can be used in drops or in tablets and capsules. Taking retinol (vitamin A) in the form of fish oil will be helpful. It is harmless and improves eye function. Periodic special gymnastics for the eyes is also often recommended. It consists of properly tensing and relaxing the eye muscles, which will subsequently strengthen them.
It is also very important to monitor your diet, consume more plant components, and at least load your body with fried, salty, and spicy foods. If necessary, use safety glasses. By the way, this applies not only to the sun. Special anti-glare glasses are also recommended for working at a computer.
Another important point is sleep. It is its deficiency that can very often cause a deterioration in the general condition, weakness and, as a consequence, deterioration in the condition of the eyes. Healthy sleep may not be too long, the main thing is that it should be of high quality. It has been proven that 5-6 hours of quality sleep is much more effective than 8-10 uncomfortable ones. Therefore, it is better to create all the conditions in your youth so that after 40 the problem with vision does not become too acute.
Diabetes
The second cause of vision impairment is diabetes. In general, this metabolic disease is very complex, largely because it is unknown which processes or which parts of the human body it will affect.
Diabetes mellitus is the inability to independently process glucose, as a result of which excess sugar leads to the formation of blood clots and problems with blood vessels. Since the eyes are an organ penetrated by tiny vessels, very often vision deterioration accompanies diabetes. In this case, naturally, constant monitoring by a specialist will be important. Only then can you properly maintain your vision and well-being. Continuous monitoring of blood glucose levels is also recommended.
Manifestations that lead to visual impairment in diabetes are called retinopathy. In this case, the smallest hemorrhages are also possible; the required amount of oxygen ceases to flow to the retina due to problems with the blood vessels. There are several symptoms of retinopathy in diabetes:
- A sharp deterioration in vision, the appearance of a veil before the eyes.
- Discomfort; at a certain angle, black dots and spots may appear before the eyes.
- Very rapid eye fatigue when reading and focusing at close distances.
In this case, consultation with a doctor is required. Proper treatment and use of drugs that will not react with insulin or other means to maintain glucose metabolism in the body will be important.
After anesthesia
This is rather a temporary manifestation of visual impairment. Usually, vision is restored within a few hours after anesthesia. This may not happen only in extremely rare cases, if the anesthesia was done incorrectly or tissues affecting the function of the eyes were damaged during surgery.
Usually, after local anesthesia, visual impairment is not observed at all. In general, the correct use of drugs (dosage) and the time spent under anesthesia are very important.
After anesthesia, vision is usually restored gradually. You need to be prepared for this. Often a person may experience hallucinations even after the drugs wear off. Therefore, it is best to consult a doctor about this before surgery. Then recovery from anesthesia will not be scary.
After childbirth
More precisely, even during pregnancy, vision deterioration may occur. This may be due to a lack of vitamins or hormonal changes in the body. In the first case, in order not to go to the ophthalmologist for glasses after childbirth, you should take a special complex of vitamins for pregnant women. Then the intrauterine development of the fetus will be safer, and many unpleasant manifestations in the mother can be avoided.
After childbirth, a temporary deterioration in vision is sometimes also noticed. This is usually due to extreme stress during the process. In this case, vision is restored within a day or two.
And in conclusion, a few words about prevention: it is best to consult an ophthalmologist and start taking eye vitamins. There will be no harm from them if taken correctly, but the benefits will be noticeable in later life.
Slight clouding of the lens is a natural part of aging. Cataracts involve a significant loss of clarity in the lens, which worsens over time. Cataract surgery is the only way to restore vision in this disease.
Before the operation, the patient is examined by an ophthalmologist, his general health is also examined, and the presence of contraindications to surgical intervention is determined.
The surgical intervention itself most often takes place on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia, taking 10-20 minutes. Most often, for cataracts, phacoemulsification surgery is used, in which, compared to the traditional technique, there is less trauma to the eye tissue, which leads to faster rehabilitation after cataract surgery.
Before the intervention, special drops are instilled into the eye, which dilate the pupil and numb the eyeball. After this, the ophthalmic surgeon makes a tiny incision in the cornea, through which the working instrument is inserted into the eye. Through this instrument, ultrasound is used to destroy the clouded lens into small pieces, which are then washed out of the eye. After removing the lens, the ophthalmic surgeon inserts an artificial lens in its place. There are no stitches placed on the incision; it closes on its own.
Most people can go home within a few hours of cataract surgery and continue their recovery.
Complications after surgery
The risk of serious complications from cataract surgery is very low. Most of them are easy to eliminate and do not have long-term effects on vision.
The risk of complications is increased in people with other eye diseases, such as uveitis, high myopia, or diabetic retinopathy. Problems are also more likely to occur in patients who cannot lie down easily, have difficulty breathing, or are taking medications to treat prostate problems.
The main problem that patients may encounter during rehabilitation after cataract surgery is clouding of the posterior capsule of the lens. About 10% of people develop this complication within 2 years after surgery. To eliminate it, the capsule is removed using a laser method; the procedure takes about 15 minutes.
Other complications are much less common.
During the intervention the following may be observed:
- Impossibility of removing all lens tissue.
- Bleeding inside the eyeball.
- Rupture of the lens capsule.
- Damage to other parts of the eye (such as the cornea).
During rehabilitation after lens replacement for cataracts, the following complications may develop:
- Swelling and redness of the eye.
- Retinal swelling.
- Corneal edema.
- Retinal disinsertion.
If there is any deterioration in vision, increased pain or redness after surgery, the patient should consult an ophthalmologist. As a rule, most complications can be eliminated with conservative therapy or surgical interventions.
Rehabilitation period
The best way to increase the effectiveness of cataract surgery is to follow all instructions for rehabilitation after cataract surgery.
A few hours after the intervention, the patient can go home; it is better to do this accompanied by a loved one or acquaintance. The patient may be slightly drowsy, which is associated with the administration of sedatives in small doses. For many people, the effects of these medications wear off fairly quickly.
After surgery, each patient is prescribed eye drops that prevent infectious complications and speed up the healing process. They need to be used for about 4 weeks.
In the first 2-3 days after surgery, you should not overexert yourself.
During this period the patient may have:
- moderate pain in the operated eye;
- itching or watery eyes;
- blurred vision;
- feeling of sand in the eyes;
- mild headache;
- bruising around the eye;
- discomfort when looking at bright light.
It is normal to have these side effects during the early recovery period after cataract surgery. Painkillers (for example, Paracetamol or Ibuprofen) can help reduce pain, and sunglasses can help with increased photosensitivity.
Don't be alarmed if your vision seems blurry or distorted. Adaptation of the visual system to an artificial lens requires a certain time, the duration of which depends on the individual characteristics of each patient.
Typically, the person will have a follow-up visit with the doctor the day after surgery to make sure there are no complications. Full recovery takes approximately 4-6 weeks.
For safe and quick rehabilitation after lens replacement for cataracts, it is recommended:
- do not drive in the first few days;
- do not lift heavy objects and avoid intense physical activity for several weeks;
- There is no need to bend over immediately after surgery to prevent excess pressure on the eye;
- It is better to avoid using soap and shampoo;
- no need to apply makeup for 1 week;
- If possible, avoid sneezing or vomiting immediately after surgery;
- to reduce the risk of infectious complications, you should avoid swimming for the first few weeks;
- during the first weeks, exposure to various irritants such as dust, dirt or wind should be avoided;
- Do not rub your eyes or touch them.
To improve the effectiveness of the operation, patients should carefully follow the detailed instructions received from the ophthalmic surgeon. If any complications occur, you should immediately seek medical help.
Their symptoms in the early period of rehabilitation after cataract surgery are:
- Throbbing or severe pain in the operated eye.
- Severe headache with or without nausea and vomiting.
- Sudden deterioration or loss of vision.
- Increased redness of the eye
- Sudden appearance of black dots, spots or streaks in the field of vision.
Restrictions after surgery:
| 1-2 days | The patient can get up, get dressed, walk around the house, and do light work. You can read and watch TV. |
| 3-7 days | All moderate physical activity is permitted. You can drive a car if your vision level allows. You can't swim. Most patients can return to their jobs. |
| 7-14 days | You can return to your normal level of daily activity except swimming. |
| 3-4 weeks | Completion of the recovery period, stopping the use of eye drops. During this period, vision should become better than before the operation. You can return to swimming and contact sports, but it is best to protect your eyes while doing so. |
Cataract surgery is the only effective treatment for this disease. As a rule, this is a short-term and safe procedure that is accompanied by a minimum of complications.
To optimize treatment results and prevent the development of possible complications, the patient needs to follow the doctor’s detailed recommendations for rehabilitation after cataract surgery.
Useful video about cataracts
We analyze the disease of the upper eyelid - ptosis
Have you ever observed a lack of symmetry in the arrangement of eyelids in friends or yourself? If one eyelid droops too much, or both, this may indicate the presence of the following disease.
Ptosis (from the Greek word - fall) of the upper eyelid means its drooping. Normally, in a healthy person, the upper eyelid overlaps the iris by about 1.5 mm.
With ptosis, the upper eyelid droops by more than 2 mm. If ptosis is one-sided, then the difference between the eyes and eyelids is very noticeable.
Ptosis can occur in any person, regardless of gender and age.
Types of disease
The types of ptosis include:
- unilateral (appears in one eye) and bilateral (in both eyes);
- complete (the upper eyelid completely covers the eye) or incomplete (closes only partially);
- congenital and acquired (depending on the cause of occurrence).
The severity of ptosis is determined by how much the eyelid droops:
- 1st degree is determined when the upper eyelid covers the pupil from above by 1/3,
- 2nd degree - when the upper eyelid is lowered onto the pupil by 2/3,
- 3rd degree - when the upper eyelid almost completely hides the pupil.
The degree of visual impairment depends on the severity of ptosis: from a slight decrease in vision to its complete loss.
What can it be confused with?
The following pathologies of the visual organs can be mistakenly mistaken for ptosis:
- dermatochalasis, due to which excess skin of the upper eyelids is the cause of pseudoptosis or ordinary ptosis;
- ipsilateral hypotrophy, which is expressed in drooping of the upper eyelid following the eyeball. If a person fixes his gaze with the hypotrophied eye, while covering the healthy eye, pseudoptosis will disappear;
- the eyelids are poorly supported by the eyeball due to a decrease in the volume of the orbital contents, which is typical for patients with false eyes, microphthalmos, phthisis of the eyeball and enophthalmos;
- contralateral eyelid retraction, which can be determined by comparing the levels of the upper eyelids. It should be taken into account that covering the cornea with the upper eyelid by two millimeters is the norm;
- brow ptosis, caused by excess skin in the brow area, which can occur with facial nerve palsy. This pathology can be determined by raising the eyebrow using your fingers.
Causes of the disease
Let us examine in detail the reasons for which ptosis occurs.
Innate
Congenital ptosis occurs in children due to underdevelopment or even absence of the muscle that should be responsible for raising the eyelid. Congenital ptosis sometimes occurs together with strabismus.
When ptosis treatment is not treated for a long time, the child may develop amblyopia (lazy eye syndrome). Congenital ptosis is most often unilateral.
Acquired
Acquired ptosis develops for several reasons and is divided into:
- aponeurotic ptosis, which is associated with the weakening or stretching of the aponeurosis of the muscle that should raise the upper eyelid. This type includes senile ptosis, which is one of the processes during natural aging of the body, ptosis that appears after eye surgery.
- neurogenic ptosis associated with damage to the nervous system after diseases (stroke, multiple sclerosis, etc.) and injuries. Ptosis can appear with paralysis of the sympathetic cervical nerve, since it is the muscle that innervates the levator pallidum. Along with ptosis, constriction of the pupil (or miosis) and retraction of the eyeball (or enophthalmos) occur. A syndrome that combines these symptoms is called Horner's syndrome.
- with mechanical ptosis, the cause is mechanical damage to the eyelid by foreign bodies. Athletes are at risk because eye injuries are quite common.
- false ptosis (apparent ptosis), which appears with excess skin folds on the upper eyelid, as well as hypotonia of the eyeball.
Determining the cause of ptosis is an important task for the doctor, since the surgical treatment of acquired and congenital ptosis is significantly different.
An interesting fragment from the program “Live Healthy” about ptosis of the upper eyelid
Symptoms of the disease
One of the main manifestations of ptosis is a directly drooping upper eyelid.
The following symptoms of ptosis are distinguished:
- inability to blink or close the eye completely,
- irritation of the eyes due to the fact that there is no way to close them,
- increased eye fatigue for the same reason
- possible double vision due to decreased vision,
- the action becomes habitual when a person sharply throws his head back or tenses his forehead and eyebrow muscles in order to open his eye as much as possible and lift the drooping upper eyelid,
- strabismus and amblyopia may occur if treatment is not started on time.
Diagnosis of the disease
When identifying a drooping eyelid, which is noticeable even with the naked eye, doctors need to determine the cause of the disease in order to prescribe treatment.
The ophthalmologist measures the height of the eyelid, studies the symmetry of the position of the eyes, eye movements, and the strength of the muscle that should raise the eyelid. When diagnosing, be sure to pay attention to the possible presence of amblyopia and strabismus.
In those patients who have acquired ptosis during life, the muscles that lift the eyelid are quite elastic and elastic, so they can completely close the eye when their gaze is lowered.
With congenital ptosis, the eye cannot close completely even with the gaze lowered to the maximum, and the upper eyelid makes movements of very small amplitude. This often helps diagnose the cause of the disease.
The importance of determining the cause of ptosis is that with congenital and acquired ptosis, different parts of the visual analyzer suffer (with congenital ptosis, the muscle that lifts the eyelid itself, and with acquired ptosis, its aponeurosis). Accordingly, the operation will be performed on different parts of the eyelid.
Treatment of the disease
Neither congenital nor acquired ptosis goes away on its own over time and always requires surgery. It is better to start treatment as early as possible to increase the chances of maintaining vision, because ptosis is not only an aesthetic and cosmetic defect.
The operation is performed by an ophthalmic surgeon under local anesthesia, with the exception of children, sometimes under general anesthesia. The operation takes from half an hour to 2 hours.
Until surgery is scheduled, you can hold the eyelid open during the day with an adhesive tape to prevent strabismus or amblyopia in children.
If acquired ptosis appears due to some disease, then in addition to the ptosis itself, it is necessary to simultaneously treat the provoking disease.
For example, with neurogenic ptosis, the underlying disease is treated, UHF procedures, galvanization are prescribed, and only if there is no result, surgical treatment is prescribed.
The operation to eliminate acquired ptosis is carried out as follows:
- remove a small strip of skin from the upper eyelid,
- then the orbital septum is cut,
- cut the aponeurosis of the muscle that should be responsible for raising the upper eyelid,
- the aponeurosis is shortened by removing part of it and sutured to the cartilage of the eyelid (or tarsal plate) just below,
- The wound is sutured with a cosmetic continuous suture.
During surgery to eliminate congenital ptosis, the surgeon’s actions are as follows:
- also remove a thin strip of skin from the eyelid,
- cut the orbital septum,
- isolate the muscle itself, which should be responsible for raising the eyelid,
- perform muscle plication, i.e. put several stitches on it to shorten it,
- The wound is sutured with a cosmetic continuous suture.
When congenital ptosis of the upper eyelid is severe, the levator palpebral muscle is attached to the frontalis muscle, thereby the eyelid will be controlled by tension of the frontalis muscles.
When the operation is completed, a bandage is applied to the operated eyelid, which can be removed after 2-4 hours.
There is usually no pain during or after surgery. Sutures are removed 4-6 days after surgery.
Bruising, swelling and other effects of surgery usually disappear within a week. The cosmetic effect of the treatment remains unchanged for life.
Surgery to treat ptosis can cause the following side effects:
- pain in the eyelid area and decreased sensitivity;
- incomplete closure of the eyelids;
- dry eyes;
These symptoms in most cases disappear on their own within a few weeks after surgery and do not require any treatment. Some patients may experience subtle asymmetry of the upper eyelids, inflammation and bleeding of the postoperative wound. The cost of surgery to treat ptosis in Russian clinics ranges from 15 to 30 thousand rubles.
The anesthesia itself and all its components do not have a negative effect on the organ of vision. Short-term dizziness and the associated apparent deterioration of vision are of a different nature - these are symptoms of the central nervous system, and they are temporary. Among the consequences of general anesthesia in adults, there are sometimes complaints that vision has deteriorated. But upon examination it turns out that vision problems already existed.
Most often, patients after long-term anesthesia experience a feeling of “sand in the eyes.” This occurs when the eyelids do not completely cover the eyeball during anesthesia, and its outer layer (cornea) dries out. As a result, a small inflammatory process develops, which is very quickly eliminated with special eye drops, which include vitamins and hydrocortisone. The fault lies with the staff administering the anesthesia. The doctor or nurse anesthetist should ensure that the eyes are completely closed.
Attention! The information on the site is presented by specialists, but is for informational purposes only and cannot be used for independent treatment. Be sure to consult your doctor!
Risk is an integral part of all our lives. Many things we do in our daily lives are associated with certain risks to our health - driving a car, swimming in a pond, and even eating certain types of food.
Many therapeutic techniques used in modern medicine, designed by definition to improve the health status of patients, can themselves cause the development of serious complications, as paradoxical as this may sound. Surgical interventions (which sometimes cause serious surgical complications) and anesthesia, the role of which we want to talk about in this article, are no exceptions.
Anesthesia is designed to protect your body from surgical trauma. Anesthesia is not so much pain relief as ensuring the safety of your life during surgery. Despite the fact that anesthesia, as such, is a great benefit and a positive component of the operation, at the same time, it itself can cause the development of serious reactions and complications.
Your anesthesiologist will be able to tell you in more detail what risks the planned operation and anesthesia pose to you. Below we will tell you about the most common reactions and complications that can be the consequences of anesthesia and anesthesia.
First, it should be said that all reactions and complications according to the frequency of development are usually divided into five gradations:
For greater simplicity and better understanding, we have presented to you all possible complications of anesthesia and consequences of anesthesia in the form of three blocks:
1 Very often, as well as common complications of anesthesia, consequences of anesthesia:
1.1 Nausea
1.2 Sore throat
1.4 Dizziness and lightheadedness
1.5 Headache
1.7 Pain in the back and lower back
1.8 Muscle pain
1.9 Confusion
2 Uncommon consequences of anesthesia, complications of anesthesia:
2.1 Postoperative pulmonary infection
2.2 Injury to teeth, lips, tongue
2.3 Awakening during general anesthesia
3 Rare and very rare complications of anesthesia and consequences of anesthesia:
3.1 Nerve damage associated with general anesthesia
3.2 Nerve injury associated with regional anesthesia
3.3 Serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
3.4 Eye damage during general anesthesia
3.5 Death or brain damage
Very common and common adverse reactions and complications of anesthesia (consequences of anesthesia)
- Nausea
This is a very common consequence of anesthesia, occurring in approximately 30% of cases. Nausea is more common with general than with regional anesthesia. Here are some tips to help reduce your risk of nausea:
During the first hours after surgery, you should not be active - sitting down and getting out of bed;
Avoid drinking water and food immediately after surgery;
Good pain relief is also important as severe pain can cause nausea, so if you experience pain, tell your healthcare team;
Deep breathing and slowly inhaling air can help reduce the feeling of nausea.
- A sore throat
Its severity can vary from discomfort to severe constant pain that bothers you when talking or swallowing. You may also experience dry mouth. These symptoms may subside within a few hours after surgery, but may persist for two or more days. If the above symptoms do not go away within two days after surgery, contact your doctor. A sore throat is only a consequence, not a complication of anesthesia.
- Shiver
Trembling, which is another consequence of anesthesia, poses a certain problem for patients, as it causes them great discomfort, although most often it does not pose any danger to the body and lasts about 20-30 minutes. Trembling can occur either after general anesthesia or as a complication of epidural or spinal anesthesia. You may be able to reduce your risk of shivering somewhat by keeping your body warm before surgery. You need to take care of warm things in advance. Remember that the hospital may be cooler than your home.
- Dizziness and lightheadedness
The residual effect of anesthetics may manifest itself in the form of a slight decrease in blood pressure, in addition, dehydration, which is not so uncommon after surgery, can lead to the same effect. A decrease in pressure can cause dizziness, weakness, and faintness.
- Headache
There are many reasons that can cause a headache. These are medications used for anesthesia, the operation itself, dehydration and simply unnecessary anxiety for the patient. Most often, the headache goes away a few hours after anesthesia on its own or after taking painkillers. Severe headache can be a complication of both spinal anesthesia and epidural analgesia. The features of its treatment are described in detail in the article “Headache after spinal anesthesia.”
Itching is usually a side reaction to anesthesia medications (particularly morphine), but itching can also be a manifestation of an allergic reaction, so if it occurs, be sure to tell your doctor.
- Back and lower back pain
During surgery, the patient remains in one constant position on a hard operating table for quite a long time, which can lead to “tired” back and, ultimately, to lower back pain after surgery.
- Muscle pain
Most often, muscle pain after anesthesia occurs in young males, most often their occurrence is associated with the use of a drug called ditilin during anesthesia, usually used in emergency surgery, as well as situations when the patient’s stomach is not free from food. Muscle pain is a consequence of anesthesia (general anesthesia), it is symmetrical, most often localized in the neck, shoulders, upper abdomen and lasts approximately 2-3 days after surgery.
- Confusion
Some patients, most often elderly, experience confusion after surgery and anesthesia. Their memory may deteriorate, and their behavior may differ from their usual state. This can be very worrying for you, your family, friends and loved ones. However, all these phenomena should disappear along with recovery from the operation.
The following recommendations can reduce the likelihood of postoperative impairment of consciousness:
Before hospitalization, try to be as healthy as possible, eat healthy foods, do exercise;
Talk to your anesthesiologist about the possibility of performing the operation under regional anesthesia;
If your operation is not large in scope and you do not live alone at home, then discuss with your attending surgeon the possibility of returning home as early as possible after the operation;
Make sure you remember to take your contact lenses and hearing aids to the hospital;
Unless your doctor says otherwise, continue to take your usual home medications in the hospital;
If you drink alcohol, you should consult with a narcologist about how to safely reduce and then completely stop taking it. In the hospital, you should also tell your doctors how much alcohol you drink.
Uncommon consequences of anesthesia, adverse reactions and complications of anesthesia
- Postoperative pulmonary infection
Pulmonary infection (bronchitis, pneumonia) is most often a consequence of general anesthesia (anesthesia). A few simple measures will significantly reduce the risk of this complication:
If you are a smoker, you should quit smoking approximately 6 weeks before surgery;
If you have a chronic pulmonary disease, it should be treated as much as possible before your planned anesthesia. To do this, even before hospitalization, seek medical help from your primary care physician or pulmonologist;
Good pain relief after surgery is the key to good breathing and coughing ability, and, therefore, an important link in reducing the risk of pulmonary infection. Talk to your anesthesiologist about postoperative epidural pain relief if you are having major surgery on the chest or abdomen.
- Injury to teeth, lips, tongue
General anesthesia poses some risk of dental damage, which occurs in approximately 1 in 45,000 anesthesia experiences. Serious damage to the tongue is quite rare. But minor injuries to the lips or tongue occur quite often - in approximately 5% of cases of general anesthesia.
If your teeth or gums are in poor condition, a preoperative visit to the dentist will help you prevent possible dental problems. If you know that during previous anesthesia there were difficulties with inserting the breathing tube or that your teeth were damaged, be sure to provide this information to your anesthesiologist.
- Waking up during anesthesia
When the patient is given general anesthesia, he is unconscious. Awakening during anesthesia is a situation when, during an operation, the patient regains consciousness, and after anesthesia he can remember some episodes of the operation itself. Fortunately, this very unpleasant anesthesia complication is extremely rare in real life.
Rare and very rare adverse reactions and complications of anesthesia (consequences of anesthesia)
- Nerve damage as a complication of general anesthesia
This type of complication is characterized by a feeling of numbness, tingling or pain. There may also be a disturbance in the sensation of heat or cold. There may also be a feeling of weakness in the limb or paralysis. Depending on the extent of the lesion, all these manifestations can be disturbing in any small area of the body or the entire limb. Usually, all complaints, depending on the initial severity of symptoms, disappear after a few days or months. Full recovery can sometimes take up to a year. The most common injuries occur to the ulnar nerve in the elbow area, as well as the peroneal nerve in the knee area.
- Nerve injury, which is a complication of epidural anesthesia, as well as a complication of spinal anesthesia
These complications are rare and usually temporary damage that resolves after a few weeks to months. Cases of complete immobilization (paralysis) of one or two limbs are very rare (approximately 1 case in 50,000).
If signs of nerve injury appear after surgery, this does not mean that the cause was epidural or spinal anesthesia. Below are other equally common causes that can cause nerve injury:
The nerve can be injured by the surgeon (unfortunately, during some operations this is sometimes difficult and impossible to avoid);
The position in which you were placed on the operating table may put pressure or tension on the nerve, causing it to become damaged;
The use of tourniquets by the surgeon to reduce the amount of blood loss during surgery puts pressure on the nerve, also contributing to its damage;
In addition, postoperative swelling (in the area of surgery) may be the cause of nerve compression;
The presence of concomitant chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus or vascular atherosclerosis significantly increases the risk of nerve damage during anesthesia
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis)
During anesthesia, as well as throughout your entire stay in the hospital, you will constantly receive a large amount of medications necessary for your speedy recovery. All of these medications can cause a very severe allergic reaction - anaphylaxis. The incidence of its development is approximately 1 case in 15,000 anesthesias. As a rule, an anesthesiologist successfully diagnoses and treats this serious complication, but statistically one in twenty such serious reactions can lead to death.
- Eye damage during general anesthesia
This is an uncommon or rare complication of anesthesia. The most common type of eye injury during and after general anesthesia is corneal injury (approximately 1 in 2000 anesthesia events). This pathology does not affect visual acuity, but can lead to the appearance of a dark or blurry dot on the affected eye. Most often, corneal injury occurs due to the fact that during anesthesia the patient's eyelids do not always close completely. As a result, the cornea becomes dry and the eyelid “sticks” to it from the inside. Further, when the eyes are opened, damage to the cornea occurs.
Eye damage leading to loss of vision is statistically extremely rare.
- Death or brain damage
If the patient is relatively healthy and is undergoing non-emergency surgery, then the risk of death is very small and is about 1 case per 100,000 general anesthesias. The risk increases if the patient is elderly, if the operation is emergency or extensive, if there are pre-existing health problems (especially heart or lung disease), and if the patient's general condition before surgery is severe. The risk of stroke resulting in brain damage increases in older adults, in patients who have had a previous stroke, and when surgery is performed on the brain, neck, carotid arteries, or heart.
The necessity and justification of general anesthesia is no longer in doubt. In the surgical sector of medicine, general anesthesia is as necessary as air. In addition, this method is used by dentists in particularly unpleasant situations, gynecologists (for some pathologies), as well as doctors of many other specialties.
General anesthesia is definitely necessary, but do not forget that loss of consciousness through drug stunning of the nervous system is a critical situation for the body, which has a number of side effects and complications.
That is why there is a very difficult medical specialty - anesthesiologist.
Before administering anesthesia, the doctor talks in detail about the main risks and side effects. As a rule, the patient is introduced to typical complications, as well as individual risks associated with age, pathologies of the cardiovascular system, oncological pathology, etc.
Nausea after anesthesia
Nausea is the most common side effect
The most common side effect after anesthesia. Occurs in every third case. Of course, with local (regional) anesthesia this complication is much less common.
There are some general principles to help reduce the likelihood of nausea after anesthesia:
- Don’t rush to get up after surgery, much less run somewhere. Your body does not know that you are an important busy person, it only understands that it was first stunned with chemicals, and now for some reason they are shaking it. As a result, you may vomit at the most inopportune moment;
- Do not drink or eat for 3 hours after surgery;
- If you are worried about severe pain (the anesthetic was titrated incorrectly, for example), then you should not endure it - tell the nurse or doctor, because may vomit from pain;
- If nausea occurs, try to breathe deeply and slowly. Saturating tissues with oxygen reduces the risk of nausea.
Pain when swallowing or speaking and dry mouth
Pain when swallowing may occur after endotracheal anesthesia
After endotracheal anesthesia (the most popular type of general anesthesia), you may experience a sore throat, pain when swallowing or while talking. These are the consequences of not entirely successful intubation. This is usually associated with the anatomical characteristics of the patient, and less often with the negligence of the anesthesiologist. This kind of pain goes away within a few hours after anesthesia. Sometimes it takes 2-3 days for this side effect to disappear.
If after surgery the sore throat does not go away after 2 days, contact your doctor. Most likely, the tube injured the tracheal mucosa.
Headache after general anesthesia
Headache after anesthesia is more common in women
This complication occurs more often in women, especially in those prone to migraines and headaches in general. Medicines, stress on the body from the surgical procedure itself, the patient’s fears – there are plenty of reasons for vascular spasm and headaches.
This type of headache goes away within 2-3 hours after the procedure.
On the other hand, headache is a typical complication of spinal and epidural anesthesia, which the doctor should warn the patient about in such cases.
Dizziness can be due to a transient decrease in blood pressure, and also as a consequence of dehydration. Patients may also experience weakness, even to the point of fainting.
Stupor (impaired perception) after surgery
Confusion or stupor is a common side effect in older adults
Often found in elderly patients. After anesthesia, the nervous system experiences some difficulties in cleansing cells and restoring cognitive functions: memory temporarily deteriorates, and deviant behavior may occur. Fortunately, all these problems are temporary and gradually disappear (up to 2 weeks).
The causes of this kind of complications are associated both with the metabolic characteristics of the elderly and with the psychological trauma from the fact of the operation. An increased burden is also created by communicating with strangers in an unusual (frightening) environment.
During elective surgery in an elderly person, the severity of this complication can be reduced as follows:
- Try (if the disease allows) to lead an active lifestyle before surgery;
- If it is possible to carry out the manipulation under local anesthesia, do so;
- If you live with your family, try to agree with your doctor about returning home as quickly as possible after surgery;
- Check if you took the medications prescribed to you (for hypertension, for example), reading glasses and books (magazines, checkers, etc.) to the hospital;
- Do not drink alcohol before or after anesthesia.
Body tremors after surgery
Many patients experience severe tremors after emerging from anesthesia. This condition does not pose a danger to health, but it is quite annoying for the patient. Paroxysms of this kind last no more than half an hour. The type of anesthesia in this case does not matter - the reason is the cooling of the tissues during the operation (the individual characteristics of microcirculation, diabetes, and atherosclerosis in the patient play a role).
The only thing that can be done to prevent this condition is not to freeze before surgery (take warm clothes to the hospital in the cold season).
Itchy skin after anesthesia
In some cases, the doctor is not informed about the patient’s allergic reactions. Sometimes the patient himself does not know that he has an allergy. For this reason, skin reactions may develop, manifested by itching, which should be reported to your doctor immediately. Often this kind of excess is caused by morphine and some other drugs used for anesthesia.
Itchy skin after anesthesia may be the result of an allergic reaction
Spinal pain after surgery
During spinal anesthesia, pain can be caused by a traumatic factor, so if you experience pain in the lumbar or any other part of the spine, tell your doctor. This is especially important in cases where back pain is combined with paresis or plegia of the limb (limited mobility).
The above case is a very rare complication. Most often, the back hurts because a person has been lying on a fairly hard surface of the operating table for some time, which, in combination with osteochondrosis, gives pain.
Lower back pain and other muscle pain are the result of using Ditilin
Muscle pain after anesthesia
Caused by the use of the drug Ditilin, which is actively used in urgent surgery (especially when the patient is not ready for surgery - a full stomach, etc.). All muscles hurt, especially the neck, shoulders, and abs.
The duration of “ditilin” pain does not exceed 3 days after anesthesia.
All subsequent complications are, fortunately, quite rare, but the doctor must take into account their possibility and be prepared for them.
Injury to lips, tongue or teeth during surgery
Injury to the tongue or teeth is a consequence not of anesthesia, but of its administration
These are, in fact, not the consequences of the anesthesia itself, but mechanical damage during its administration. Teeth are damaged, on average, in two out of 100,000 patients (carious, as a rule). Before general anesthesia, it is advisable to treat caries and stomatitis.
The tongue and lips are slightly damaged in one out of 20 patients; you need to be mentally prepared for this. All defects disappear without a trace within a week after anesthesia.
Postoperative pulmonary infection
Postoperative pneumonia is a consequence of an infection
The infection enters the lungs due to tracheal intubation, trauma and infection of the mucous membrane, or due to an unsterile tube. In addition, the cause may be either the patient’s atypical anatomy of the respiratory tract, or an existing chronic disease of the respiratory system (chronic bronchitis).
To reduce the risk of postoperative pneumonia, the following is recommended:
- We quit smoking one and a half months before the planned surgery;
- Bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis and sinusitis (if any) must be treated before endotracheal anesthesia;
- If it hurts to breathe after surgery, tell your doctor right away. Insufficiently active breathing increases the risk of infection, and hospital infection is the most “evil” one.
Waking up during an operation
It happens extremely rarely and is eliminated by anesthesiologists almost instantly. This kind of situation occasionally occurs with drug addicts, as well as people who constantly take powerful analgesics (cancer patients, for example).
The brain, getting used to the effect on certain centers, in this case needs a higher dose of analgesic.
If (purely hypothetically) you constantly take sleeping pills, strong painkillers, or are dependent on any chemical substances, it is in your best interests to tell the anesthesiologist about this.
There are three types of this condition:
- The patient wakes up during surgery and tries to move. Doctors react instantly by increasing the dose of analgesic substances. The patient does not have time to really wake up or feel pain;
- The patient wakes up, does not feel pain, and cannot move. A rather surreal situation, but the patient does not experience any discomfort (except psychological);
- The patient wakes up, cannot move, and feels pain. In this case, serious mental trauma may remain.
Nerve damage during spinal or epidural anesthesia
They are extremely rare. As a rule, such damage is temporary and disappears within a month or a month and a half maximum.
One in 50,000 patients will experience paralysis of one or both limbs after spinal or epidural anesthesia.
This condition occurs due to the following factors:
- The nerve was injured by the anesthesiologist himself during the puncture;
- The nerve was damaged by the surgeon during the relevant operation;
- The patient was placed in an incorrect position on the operating table, which led to nerve compression;
- As a result of the operation, tissue edema developed, compressing the nerve;
- The patient had severe diabetes or atherosclerosis, which significantly increases the likelihood of such a situation.
I would like to emphasize once again that the indications for anesthesia of this kind are vital, and the probability of disability is only 0.0002%.
Anaphylactic shock during surgery
It rarely develops, it can happen to anything. If you carefully study the instructions for any drug (not a dietary supplement), then there is definitely a complication - individual intolerance (allergic reactions to components, etc.). If such a situation develops during anesthesia (1 case in 15,000), the anesthesiologist copes with the situation in 95% of cases.
The remaining 5% of 0.00006% of patients die.
In short, a vanishingly small number of patients die from anaphylactic shock during anesthesia; there is no need to worry about this.
Photo gallery: rare complications during anesthesia
Dry cornea is a cause of damage when the patient awakens
Damage to the eyeball
Actually, no one touches the patient’s eyes during the operation; it’s just that some patients, due to certain physiological nuances, do not completely close their eyelids. The cornea dries out, and the eyelid itself can “stick” to it from the inside. When a person wakes up and tries to open his eye, the cornea is damaged. This manifests itself in the form of a dark dot on the damaged eye; over time, the condition goes away without additional therapeutic manipulations.
All taken together, the complications that anesthesia can cause are incomparable to the health benefits (including the ability to live in general) of the patient. Try to take into account the risk factors described above for postoperative complications and inform your doctor about them in a timely manner.
General practitioner at a city clinic. Eight years ago I graduated from Tver State Medical University with honors. I decided not to stop there and am currently specializing in cosmetology and massage courses. Rate this article:
After general anesthesia, absolutely everyone feels bad, although no ethers are used now.
It is well known that after their use, the liver stopped working in many patients.
Is general anesthesia harmful or is it a myth? Does anesthesia affect human life expectancy and health?
Modern anesthesia drugs have little toxicity to human organs.
If the dose is calculated correctly for you, the drug is administered correctly, there is nothing to be afraid of.
But we are afraid of anesthesia and pain, although we understand the inevitability of the operation and its necessity.
Now there is a lot of new things: equipment, drugs, a lot of new technologies, but we are still afraid, perhaps we don’t know what anesthesia is? What to expect from him?
Anesthesia implies safety during and after surgery.
The patient’s condition after general anesthesia, quality in a good clinic:
- No pain during treatment.
- No nausea or vomiting after surgery.
- Absence of chills, trembling (sometimes it is impossible to do without these symptoms after surgery).
- During operations, constant monitoring of breathing and blood circulation is carried out.
- Monitoring of electrical activity of the brain, control of muscle conduction, temperature control.
After the operation, the patient is given anesthesia; if this is not enough, the patients inject themselves by pressing a button.
For this purpose, special devices have appeared that the patient carries with him constantly.
Doctors then monitor how many times the patient presses the button, using these calculations to determine the degree of recovery of the patient.
Thanks to this, the time after surgery passes comfortably.
Before taking general anesthesia, consider:
- Your weight or body mass index.
- Medical history, tests, permission from specialists for anesthesia are studied.
- Patient's age.
- Current medications taken and allergic reactions to them.
- The patient's consumption of alcohol or drugs.
- Dental examination, as well as the oral cavity and respiratory tract.
General anesthesia, what is it:
General anesthesia, a state of coma, sleep in which the patient does not feel pain. He is not in pain, there are no reactions. The man seems unconscious.
General anesthesia is administered intravenously or inhaled.
Medicines are administered by an anesthesiologist, a specialist who monitors the patient's vital signs and breathing during surgery.
There are four stages:
Induction or first stage:
Characterized by the onset of drug administration and loss of sensitivity (consciousness).
Excitation stage – second stage:
There is delusional, excited activity. Heartbeats and breathing are erratic.
Nausea and dilated pupils may occur.
There is a danger of suffocation. Modern drugs limit the time for the two stages described above.
Surgical anesthesia or third stage:
When it occurs, all muscles relax and breathing is suppressed. Eye movement slows and then stops. The patient is ready for surgery.
Overdose stage, if your anesthesia dose was calculated incorrectly:
Leads to cardiovascular and respiratory failure.
As you understand, the fourth stage is an exception to the rule, but it sometimes happens, as everywhere and always.
Why do they do general anesthesia, and not anesthesia of only the necessary area of the body?
Under what circumstances is it prescribed?
- The operation takes a long time.
- Risk of major blood loss.
- According to the patient's well-being.
Modern surgical treatment is an absolutely safe intervention.
Immediately after anesthesia you may feel:
- Difficulty passing urine.
- Bruising, soreness on the arm due to the IV during surgery.
- Constant nausea, possible vomiting.
- Trembling and feeling cold, you will shake, and at first it will be difficult to warm up.
- Sore throat (due to the presence of a breathing tube during surgery).
- You will not feel pain; nurses will constantly administer pain relief.
But there are groups at greater risk for consequences:
Elderly people undergoing long-term operations are at risk of serious consequences.
After anesthesia, they can suffer a heart attack, amnesia (memory loss), stroke and even pneumonia.
Of course, it’s good that now you can have surgery and recover, if not for the consequences after it. They are.
The consequences are early and appear later.
Consequences after general anesthesia:
Early consequences are immediately visible: the person does not recover from the state of anesthesia, and a cerebral coma occurs.
The consequences appear after a few days or weeks:
- Severe headache that is difficult to relieve with analgesics. Often you have to remove them with narcotic drugs.
- Sleep apnea - people stop breathing for a short period of time while sleeping.
- Blood pressure rises.
- Sudden dizziness that can last up to a day.
- Panic attacks occur and fear interferes with normal life. A person does not understand where this comes from or what to do.
- Cramps in the legs and calves, causing incredible suffering to the patient due to their frequent occurrence.
- The heart suffers, malfunctions appear, the pulse is frequent with high blood pressure.
- The kidneys and liver, the cleansing organs of our body, suffer. Whatever the drugs for anesthesia, in order for a person not to feel anything, an incredibly huge dose of them is needed. Naturally, to cleanse everything you need healthy organs.
- Sometimes alcoholism develops.
- Burning legs, arms, body.
Help yourself after surgery:
It’s very good to take courses:
- Piracetam, Cavinton (improves blood circulation and brain nutrition). Memory will be restored faster and headaches will go away.
- Take another ECG (electrocardiogram) to see what’s wrong with your heart after the operation.
- Donate blood, go to a therapist with the results obtained. Don't waste time.
- Avoid anesthesia at all times and everywhere. Treat your teeth under local anesthesia.
Sometimes life and health force us to take extreme measures in recovery methods - to have surgery, undergo anesthesia and crawl out after general anesthesia, get rid of the consequences after general anesthesia.
This is life, everything happens in it. Fewer such episodes in your life. Health and longevity!
I always look forward to seeing you on my website.
Watch the video, allergies and anesthesia:
