Complications of Anesthesia

From http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/tc/anesthesia-risks-and-complications
& http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/anesthesia/MY00100/METHOD=print,

Risk Factors for Anesthesia

• Age
• Medical conditions involving the heart, circulation, lungs, kidneys or nervous system
• Medications that can increase bleeding, i.e. aspirin
• Smoking, which increases the likelihood of breathing problems
• Alcohol use, which may predispose liver damage
• Family history of adverse reactions to anaesthesia
• Food or drug allergies

Complications from Local Anesthesia

• Systemic toxicity (absorption into circulation), affecting breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, and other body functions

Complications from Regional Anesthesia

• Nerve damage, causing persistent numbness, weakness, or pain
• Systemic toxicity
• Heart problems
• Lung problems
• Infection, swelling, or bruising (hematoma – a localized swelling filled with blood) at the injection site
• Headache during spinal anesthesia due to leakage of cerebrospinal fluid

Complications from General Anesthesia

• Temporary mental confusion
• Aspiration – an object of liquid is inhaled into the respiratory tract (aspiration preventing mechanisms – swallowing, coughing, gagging – are suppressed), managed with the use of an endotracheal tube (insertion or removal of airways may cause respiratory problems, i.e. coughing, gagging, laryngospasm, bronchospasm, laryngitis,
• Lung infections
• Stroke
• Myocardial infarction (changes in blood pressure and heart rates and rhythms)
• Death - usually associated with surgical risks (1 in 250, 000 people)
• Anesthesia awareness or unintended intraoperative awareness (1-2 in 1, 000 cases) (pain-suppression is typically still in-effect; otherwise may result in excruciating pain and long-lasting psychological trauma)

Side Effects from General Anesthesia

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dry mouth
• Sore throat
• Shivering
• Sleepiness

Risks from Anesthetic Medicines Reactions

• Allergy
• Malignant Hyperthermia – a rare genetic disorder whereby there the metabolism by the cells of certain skeletal muscle tissue becomes too rapid, leading to muscular breakdown; usually fatal without treatment (most commonly associated with inhalation anesthetics)