Risks in anaesthesia - 100 people

How many? Out of every 100 people(one hundred people)

What happened?

For how long?

Shivering

For 20–30 minutes in the recovery room

15 did

85 did not

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Nausea(feeling sick)

For 1–24 hours

About 15 did

About 85 did not

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Sore throat

For 24–48 hours

20–40 did

60–80 did not

Depends on the kind of breathing tube used

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Bruising or pain from injections

Goes away in a few days

10 did

90 did not

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Minor lip or tongue injury

Heals in a few days

1–5 did

95–99 did not

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Chest infection

For days or weeks

20 did

80 did not

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Cognitive and memory problems

Delirium (confusion, mood changes, memory problems)

For days or weeks

10–50 did

50–90 did not

Memory loss or confusion (postoperative cognitive dysfunction [POCD])

Happens days, weeks or months later. It can last for months

10 still had it after 3 months

90 did not

99 did not

1 still had it at 1 year

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Minor lip or tongue injury

From tubes or devices put in your mouth or throat to help you breathe.

More information is available here.

Chest infection

You are more likely to get a chest infection, and need more care afterwards, if:

• you have a long-term illness or are very poorly before your operation
• it is difficult for you to cough effectively after surgery, for example, if you are having surgery on your abdomen (tummy) or you have limited mobility
• you are a smoker.

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Shivering

If you have shivering, your nurses can give you a hot drink, blankets, fluids and sometimes oxygen.

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Cognitive and memory problems

General anaesthetics can sometimes affect your cognition (understanding, thinking, remembering), your mood, memoryor behaviour.

• Delirium: this usually happens soon after an anaesthetic. It can sometimes be treated.
• Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD): this usually happens after you get home. Sometimes weeks or months later. It can last for months. It usually goes away on its own.

It is not possible to know who will have these conditions. We do know that it is more likely if you:

• have other health conditions such as heart or kidney disease or diabetes
• are older, frail or having major surgery
• take many different medicines for pain or other conditions.

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Feeling sick (nauseous)

Your anaesthetist can give you anti-sickness medicine or fluids. It is better to ask for help as soon as you start to feel sick.

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Sore throat

You can use pain relief such as paracetamol or Ibuprofen. If it is sore for more than a week see your GP or pharmacist. Seek medical advice immediately if you cough up blood or have difficulty breathing.

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Minor lip or tongue injury

From tubes or devices put in your mouth or throat to help you breathe.

More information is available here.

Bruising or pain from injections

During surgery you can have more than one injection. Sometimes your anaesthetist will give you injections during the operation, so you might not remember them happening. This means that you might have bruises in places that you were not expecting. This type of bruising goes away in a few days but can take longer in some people

Minor lip or tongue injury

These injuries are caused by breathing tubes or devices put in your mouth or throat to help you breathe.

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