"One injection, blackout"? You have too many misunderstandings about anesthesia!

A method to "fall asleep" in five seconds has been found

It is...

The anesthesiologist will give you an injection.

Just kidding, don't run away yet

Aren't you curious?

What happens to the body after a general anesthesia injection?

Will it make your head become a melon?

Are there any side effects?

Is the back pain after giving birth caused by anesthesia?

…

Today, doctors from West China will reveal the secrets to you one by one

Some patients think of general anesthesia as: one shot, one sleep. They don’t know what happened in between, and feel that time flies by in a flash, and the years are peaceful.

Image source: Publish

As the saying goes, when you feel that time is peaceful, it means someone is carrying the burden for you.

This person is the anesthesiologist who brings his family and stays by the operating table, carrying an anesthesia machine, monitor, endotracheal intubation equipment, anesthetic drugs, rescue drugs, etc.

Image source: Made by myself

And general anesthesia is not really deep sleep. Patients under general anesthesia have no consciousness, no breathing, no protective reflexes, a slow heart rate, a drop in blood pressure, and muscle relaxation...

Today, Dr. Huaxi will show you what real general anesthesia is like.

If you are going to undergo a general anesthesia surgery↓↓↓

The day before surgery

The anesthesiologist will generally conduct a preoperative visit the day before the operation to make an overall assessment of your physical condition, determine possible risk factors during the operation, and develop an anesthesia plan for the next day .

On the day of surgery

The anesthesiologist is always the first to arrive in the operating room, debugging and checking the normal operation of anesthesia-related equipment, preparing drugs and supplies, and maybe chatting with you who is nervous...

Then, as anesthesia sets in, your body goes through three stages:

The first stage: induction period

The combined effects of several drugs, like a "combination punch", bring you from a conscious state to an anesthetized state.

These drugs include:

Sedatives and hypnotics: Loss of consciousness

Analgesics: pain goes away

Muscle relaxants: muscle relaxants

The second stage: maintenance period

At this time, your breathing stops, consciousness disappears...it looks like you are "asleep".

During the entire operation, the anesthesiologist will stay by your side, "keeping an eye on all directions and listening carefully."

Pay attention to your blood pressure, pulse, respiration, blood oxygen... and continue to provide you with respiratory support and anesthetic drugs to ensure that you will not be deprived of oxygen, but can be in an anesthetized state, and your body can always maintain "balance" without problems.

Image source: Photo Network

If some critical situations occur during the operation, such as heavy bleeding, cardiac arrest, etc., the anesthesiologist must take charge of the overall situation and quickly carry out rescue and resuscitation work .

The third stage: awakening

The anesthesiologist stops giving the medicine, and the anesthetic is metabolized in the body. You open your eyes and see the anesthesiologist's small flower hat: "Are you awake?"

After the surgery

The anesthesiologist will not leave immediately, but will continue to pay attention to your consciousness, breathing, circulation, pain and other physiological indicators in order to detect and deal with abnormal situations in time .

Image source: Made by myself

After anesthesia, the patient's autonomic reflexes, such as choking and swallowing, are temporarily gone. If there is something in the stomach, it may reflux up to the throat, and then from the throat to the lungs, which may cause aspiration pneumonia and even be life-threatening.

Therefore, the fasting advice given by the anesthesiologist before surgery is really important!

The "2-4-6-8" principles recommended by the international fasting and abstinence guidelines must be strictly followed.

2 hours before surgery : Do not drink clear water, such as boiled water, sugar water and other clear liquids without residue

4 hours before surgery : Newborns and infants are prohibited from breastfeeding

6 hours before surgery : Avoid easily digestible solid or low-fat foods such as milk, formula milk, bread, noodles, etc.

8 hours before surgery : Avoid meat, fried foods, and other indigestible solid foods, as well as foods high in fat and protein.

What if you have problems with hunger?

Don't panic. The doctor will replenish the daily water and energy required intravenously according to the patient's specific situation to avoid fainting from hunger.

And now with the development of technology, patients can drink some nutrient solution prepared by the hospital's nutrition department two hours before surgery to help them recover as quickly as possible after surgery.

Can I take the medicine normally?

If the patient has some underlying diseases, the anesthesiologist will also tell you before the operation which medicines to continue taking and which medicines not to take. It is okay to take the medicines with a sip or two of water.

× General anesthesia makes the brain become a melon

Current studies have not found any effect of anesthesia on the IQ of adults.

There may be some impact on children under 3 years old. Parents can consider whether to postpone the surgery until after the age of 3 based on the actual situation of the child .

If it is an emergency or serious illness that requires immediate life-saving surgery, it is impossible for the child to be conscious during the surgery. In this case, the benefits actually outweigh the disadvantages.

×Anesthesia has side effects, so it is best not to use it.

There is a person who can undergo surgery while being conscious in martial arts novels. He is the protagonist and his name is Aotian.

But life is not a novel after all. Normally, it would be unbearable to bump your toe into a cabinet, let alone being able to stay awake and have the doctor perform a bone scraping and healing operation.

In fact, anesthetic drugs are very short-acting. They can make you fall asleep quickly and wake up quickly. This short-acting drug is metabolized quickly and has almost no effect on the body.

Some people who are prone to motion sickness and young women may experience nausea and vomiting after surgery, but after preoperative evaluation by the anesthesiologist, certain measures can be taken to prevent it .

×Is the back pain after giving birth related to the anesthesia?

Caesarean section generally uses local anesthesia (intrapedial anesthesia), which means inserting a needle into the suture of the lumbar spine. The needle hole itself is relatively small and will not cause lower back pain.

Back pain after giving birth may be caused by changes in the female pelvis and spine caused by pregnancy itself, or by incorrect postures, bending over for long periods of time to change diapers, etc.

√ After general anesthesia, there may be a social death scene of "talking nonsense"

This is true. The professional term is delirium . Some patients may experience delirium during the anesthesia recovery period when the drugs have not been completely metabolized and consciousness has not fully recovered. Apart from the possibility of causing a "social death" scene, it is not a big problem as long as they wake up.

Finally, let me introduce you

Anesthesia clinic is often misunderstood

What you think of anesthesia clinic↓

"Doctor, I'll prescribe some anesthetic."

Actual anesthesia clinic↓

Help you adjust your body to the best condition for surgery

Preparing for day surgery

(such as vocal cord polyps, inguinal hernia surgery, etc.)

Patients who are ready for painless examination or treatment

You need to go to an anesthesia clinic before the operation.

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts who reviewed this article

References

[1] Deng Xiaoming, Wang Yuelan, Feng Yi, et al. Expert consensus on sedation/anesthesia for bronchoscopy (2020 edition)[J]. International Journal of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation, 2021, 42(8):10.DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn321761-20210416-00340.

[2] Warner MA, Caplan RA, Epstein BS, et al.Practice Guidelines for Preoperative Fasting and the Use of Pharmacologic Agents to Reduce the Risk of Pulmonary Aspiration: Application to Healthy Patients Undergoing Elective Procedures[J]. Survey of Anesthesiology, 2000, 44(1):47-48.DOI:10.1097/00132586-200002000-00048.

Content Production

Edit: 100% sweet

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty