Chapter 06

Anaesthesia

Anaesthesia is used in medicine and surgery primarily for the relief of pain, but loss of consciousness and relaxation of the musculature of the body are frequently necessary to make the performance of operations possible.

General anaesthesia is the term used where anaesthetic agents induce loss of consciousness.  Where local anaesthesia is employed the state of consciousness is maintained but painful stimuli from the area which is to be operated upon are blocked.  Local anaesthetic agents used for interrupting conduction in major nerve trunks or the spinal cord will also induce profound muscular relaxation when the drug dose is adjusted to achieve this purpose.

Of the vast numbers of anaesthetics, both general and regional, that are given each year, the overwhelming majority are unattended by any significant period of unexpected morbidity.  Today, serious residual disability or death caused purely by anaesthesia is rare, except in those patients who were suffering from serious ailments prior to their operation.  The very rarity of serious complications can lead to complacency, however.  In anaesthesia the motto remains: eternal vigilance is the price of safety.  Constant monitoring and carefully rehearsed methods of dealing with emergencies is the way this is achieved.

Anaesthetics are employed for operations by surgeons and dentists; for manipulations; and in association with electro-convulsive therapy.

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