Anesthesia gone wrong

IF you have the right people (anesthesiologist and/or nurse anesthetist) doing the job, they know how to handle any situation that comes up. If you were to experience anaphylactic shock while receiving anesthesia, they know how to reverse it.

If you have something done in a Drs office, you need to ask if an anesthesiologist will be there or if they are administering it themselves. You really have to watch what is done in a Drs office. Ask questions if it's going to be done in a hospital or ambulatory surgery center too, but chances are they will have the right people there.

 

There have been adverse reactions to anesthesia since we've been using it. It's one of the minor risks associate with it and is usually mentioned in the release forms you sign giving them permission to perform your procedure. The woman in the article made the mistake of going to a 2nd world country for a medical procedure. It happens here in the US, too but it's not a frequent occurrence. It's very rare (1 in 200,000). I've been under general anesthesia a few times in my life and had no adverse effects. It's really quite safe and the medical professionals who administer it are very well trained.

 

"Quite scary"?

No, a relatively minor risk, and one where the potential benefits far outweigh the risks.

I'm willing to wager that far more people die from gunshot wounds in the US than from an anaesthetic administered by a professional.

I've had my wisdom teeth removed, - without any side issues or problems; however, I'll admit that I waited until medical advances in dentistry allowed for this to take place under local anaesthetic rather than under a general anaesthetic.

 

The problem is there are many drugs that could be used. Your best bet is to talk with an allergy doc, not a technology forum.

 

A true reaction to anesthesia is VERY rare. There is really only one (malignant hyperthermia) and there is a medication to treat that. You can have an allergic reaction to other medications that are given during the course of a surgical procedure (ex: antibiotics) but that is not a reaction to anesthesia. In all likelihood, the issue was not the anesthesia itself but rather how it was administered, who administered it (a not properly trained person) and most likely of all, improper monitoring during the procedure that allowed for a minor, treatable adverse event to become life threatening due to failure to recognize and treat early.

 

My mother was a nurse anesthetist (quite a while back- she's been gone for 20 years) and one thing I remember her being frustrated by was patients who misled the medical folks about issues with anesthesia. (I don't mean those who don't know, but those who do and lied.) All the concern and care in the world won't fix stupid.

 

Whenever you are getting knocked out there is a risk. This is why you have trained professionals in a well equipped office or hospital and not some hole in the wall that Joan Rivers went too.

 

Couldn't agree more.

Not just stupid, but I would argue, also irresponsible.

Exactly and very well said.

There is always a risk, but in the hands of well-trained, qualified and experienced professionals who have appropriate resources to hand, the benefits usually far outweigh the risks.

 

I had general anaesthesia several times in March and while I disliked the experience intensely, especially the recovery phase - I obviously got through it.

 

Agreed. Surgery has many risks, but this one is a low one.