Anaesthesia Risks

The vast majority of anaesthetics are quite uneventful and most complications of anaesthesia, when they occur, are minor and temporary in nature. The more serious complications thankfully occur only very rarely.

The commonly occurring side effects or complications of anaesthesia include post operative nausea and vomiting, dizziness, sore throat, blurred vision and shivering.

Other complications, which occur much less frequently, include bruising, pain, or vessel injury at the site of injections, temporary difficulty breathing, temporary nerve damage, muscle pains, asthmatic reactions, headache, awareness (especially with Caesarean Section and emergency procedures), damage to teeth and dental prostheses (including bridgework and caps), lip and tongue injury, temporary difficulty in speaking and epileptic seizure.

Very rare complications which have been reported in association with anaesthesia include stroke, severe allergic or sensitivity reactions, brain damage, kidney failure, liver failure, lung damage, paraplegia, quadriplegia, death, permanent nerve or blood vessel damage, eye injury, damage to your larynx (‘voice box’), and vocal cords, pneumonia and infection from blood transfusion.

If you require more detail regarding your particular situation, you must discuss this with your anaesthetist prior to the administration of your anaesthetic. This is best done at the pre-anaesthetic consultation. If you feel you have any serious problems then you should contact your anaesthetist prior to coming into hospital to make special arrangements.

For more information please refer to www.allaboutanaesthesia.com.au