Anesthesia
We all find means of anesthesia - Brunonia Barry, The Lace Reader
image by: ISAF Headquarters Public Affairs Office
HWN Suggests
On World Anesthesia Day, It’s Time to Wake Up to a Critical Medical Breakthrough
Looking back on a long and storied history of medical breakthroughs, we’re inclined to remember the discoveries that take the form of lifesaving solutions: penicillin, the polio vaccine, radiotherapy, antiretroviral drugs. Our minds turn almost naturally to the game-changing inventions designed to cure or prevent disease; rarely do they conjure up those that sow the seeds of a whole new playing field.
Such is the story of modern anesthesia, first administered in Boston on this day in 1846. If surgery was the game-changing solution to save or improve lives, anesthesia was the discovery that allowed the game (as we know it) to…
Featured
How Safe is Anesthesia in the 21st Century?
Anesthesia is safer than it has ever been, but risk factors such as emergencies, very young or old patients, or sicker patients, do increase the risk. The new finding in this 2015 publication was that surgeries which began late in the day or night (after 4 p.m. until 6:59 a.m.) had increased mortality.
Knocked Out, Put Under, Anesthetized and Sedated: Different Types of Anesthesia
Whether you call it being "put under" or "knocked out", anesthesia conjures up mental images of deeply sedated patients unable to speak, move or even breathe on their own. However, not all kinds of anesthesia are made equal, and not all kinds carry the same risks.
Articles of Interest
Anesthesia and the Brain
He’s watching electroencephalography (EEG) from one of his patients starting to receive anesthesia at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). “You’re going to see when the drug starts to work. Boom. See those small, regular oscillations? The patient is becoming sedated. And now these big oscillations come on, and the patient becomes unconscious.”
Awakening
Since its introduction in 1846, anesthesia has allowed for medical miracles. Limbs can be removed, tumors examined, organs replaced—and a patient will feel and remember nothing. Or so we choose to believe.
Effects of Anesthesia
Ease your mind and feel more comfortable by understanding what side effects to expect from anesthesia and how to prepare for them. Most are minor and temporary.
How Does Anesthesia Work? An Expert Explanation
Consider for a moment how lucky we are to have access to anesthesia. Without it, many routine surgeries would be impossible. While you probably have a vague understanding of anesthesia, you likely have some questions. What is it, exactly? And how does anesthesia work? Take a look at this overview to find out.
Medical Milestones: Discovery of Anesthesia & Timeline
Modern medicine would not be possible without anesthesia. An early form of anesthesia was first used at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston by dentist William T.G. Morton and surgeon John Warren on October 16, 1846.
New Concerns About Anesthesia for Young Children
The safety of general anesthesia in young children has been a vexing question for decades. Animal studies have found that general-anesthetic use kills nerve cells in the brain, which can cause learning, memory and behavioral problems later.
The Hidden Dangers of Going Under
Anesthesia may have lingering side effects on the brain, even years after an operation.
Types of Anesthesia
There are four main categories of anesthesia used during surgery and other procedures: general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, sedation (sometimes called "monitored anesthesia care"), and local anesthesia.
What Doctors Don’t Understand About Anesthesia
Today anesthetics are considered as routine as a trip to the dentist. They have been around at least since the 18th century when a talented chemist named Humphry Davy discovered the mysterious effect of nitrous oxide (laughing gas).
Resources
Anesthesiology News
It offers extensive coverage of major scientific meetings affecting the specialty, feature articles on topics relevant to practicing anesthesiologists, in-depth clinical reviews...
AnesthesiaMyths.com
Dr. Dave & Dr. Joe created this website after repeatedly encountering patients that were terrified about anesthesia. Though this is a smaller subset of patients, the amount of fear and anxiety experienced by these folks is tremendous. And most patients experience some level of anxiety about undergoing anesthesia. We thought it would be helpful to create a resource that patients can access to complement their interaction with their anesthesiologist on the day of surgery.
The Anesthesia Consultant
The Anesthesia Consultant is written by Richard Novak, MD, an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University.
