Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the risks of general anesthesia?
What are the side effects of general anesthesia?
Why can’t I eat or drink before surgery?
When will I wake up from the anesthesia?
Will I wake up in the middle of surgery?
Should I take my usual medications before surgery?

1. What are the risks of general anesthesia?

The risks of general anesthesia vary from individual to individual based on his or her underlying medical problems and also on the nature of the surgery that he or she is undergoing. General risks range anywhere from minor problems to more serious problems. Minor problems include a bruised lip or chipped tooth from the breathing tube or a bruise at an IV site. More serious problems include having an allergic reaction to an anesthetic medication or anesthetic gas, and life threatening organ damage. Though the more serious risks are possible, they are relatively rare and dependent on a patient’s underlying health and the nature of the surgery. The specific risks of anesthesia should be discussed between you and your anesthesiologist. An anesthesiologist will be taking care of the patient for the entire duration of the surgery and our goal is to make sure that the patient is safe despite these risks.

2. What are the side effects of general anesthesia?

Common side effects of general anesthesia include a temporary sore throat from the breathing tube, shivering, grogginess in the immediate post-operative period, nausea and vomiting, and itching from pain medication.

3. Why can’t I eat or drink before surgery?

In general, we require that adult patients not eat or drink anything (except for certain medications) at least 8 hours prior to surgery. During anesthesia and surgery, there is a risk for stomach contents to come up the esophagus and back down the trachea to the lungs. This process is called aspiration and can lead to a life threatening pneumonia. Having an empty stomach prior to surgery is a safety precaution.

In the children, the guidelines are slightly different based on age. In general, we require the following:
1. Infants less than 6 months of age: formula or breast milk can be fed until 4 hours before anesthesia/surgery, and clear liquids (water/apple juice) until 3 hours before anesthesia/surgery; then nothing to eat or drink after that.
2. Infants between 6-24 months of age: formula or solids can be fed until 6 hours before anesthesia/surgery, and clear liquids (water/apple juice) until 4 hours prior to surgery; then nothing to eat or drink after that.
3. Children older than 2 years old: no food or drink for 8 hours prior to anesthesia/surgery.

Again, these are general recommendations for the normal healthy patient. An anesthesiologist may have more stringent requirements depending on a patient’s underlying medical problems.

4. When will I wake up from the anesthesia?

In most cases, patients will “wake up” almost immediately after the completion of surgery. However, because anesthetic medications can cause some amnesia, the patient may or may not remember much of the immediate time period following surgery. How quickly one “wakes up” from anesthesia is also dependent on the type and length of surgery, and individual variation.

5. Will I wake up in the middle of surgery?

Awareness in the middle of surgery is extremely rare. Most studies quote a rate between 0.2-0.4%. The likelihood of awareness is also more likely in certain settings, such as having emergency surgery for major trauma. As anesthesiologists, we monitor anesthetic levels and vital signs throughout the duration of the surgery to help decrease the likelihood of awareness under anesthesia.

6. Should I take my usual medications before surgery?

Medications that should be taken before surgery depends on the type of medication, a patient’s underlying medical problems, and also the type of surgery anticipated. It is important to discuss your medications with your anesthesiologists or surgeon before surgery.