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Anesthesia Appointments 216.444.7246

Questions 216.444.9134
Anesthesia is a treatment using drugs called anesthetics. These drugs keep you from
feeling pain during medical procedures. Anesthesiologists are medical doctors who
administer anesthesia and manage pain. Some anesthesia numbs a small area of the
body. General anesthesia makes you unconscious (asleep) during invasive surgical
procedures.

Procedure Details
Additional Details
OVERVIEW
Risks / Bene ts Recovery and Outlook When to Call the Doctor
Related Institutes &
Services
Anesthesiology & Pain Management
Cleveland Clinic's Anesthesiology Institute unites
all specialists in pain management and anesthesia
within one fully integrated model of care to improve

What is anesthesia? diagnosis, medical management and quality of life

for our patients.

Anesthesia is a medical treatment that keeps you from feeling pain during
procedures or surgery. The medications used to block pain are called anesthetics. ADVERTISEMENT
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Who performs anesthesia? center. Advertising on our site helps support our
mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic
products or services. Policy
If you’re having a relatively simple procedure like a tooth extraction that requires
numbing a small area, the person performing your procedure can administer the
local anesthetic. For more complex and invasive procedures, your anesthetic will be
administered by a physician anesthesiologist. This medical doctor manages your
pain before, during and after surgery. In addition to your physician anesthesiologist,
your anesthesia team can be comprised of physicians in training (fellows or
residents), a certi ed registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), or a certi ed
anesthesiologist assistant (CAA).

What are the types of anesthesia?

The anesthesia your healthcare provider uses depends on the type and scope of the
procedure. Options include:

Local anesthesia: This treatment numbs a small section of the body. Examples
of procedures in which local anesthesia could be used include cataract surgery, a
dental procedure or skin biopsy. You’re awake during the procedure.
Regional anesthesia: Regional anesthesia blocks pain in a larger part of your
body, such as a limb or everything below your chest. You are can be conscious
during the procedure, or have sedation in addition to the regional anesthetic.
Examples include an epidural to ease the pain of childbirth or during a cesarean
section (C-section), a spinal for hip or knee surgery, or an arm block for hand
surgery.
General anesthesia: This treatment makes you unconscious and insensitive to
pain or other stimuli. General anesthesia is used for more invasive surgical
procedures, or procedures of the head, chest, or abdomen.
Sedation: Sedation relaxes you to the point where you will have a more natural
sleep, but can be easily aroused or awakened. Light sedation can be prescribed
by the person performing your procedure, or together with a regular nurse, if they
both have training to provide moderate sedation. Examples of procedures
performed with light or moderate sedation include cardiac catheterization and
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Depending on the procedure and type of anesthesia needed, your healthcare
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provider may deliver the anesthesia via:
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center. Advertising on our site helps support our
Inhaled gas. mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic
Injection, including shots or intravenously (IV). products or services. Policy

Topical (applied to skin or eyes) liquid, spray or patch.

PROCEDURE DETAILS

How should I prepare for anesthesia?

Make sure your healthcare provider has a current list of the medications and
supplements (vitamins and herbal medications) you take. Certain drugs can interact
with anesthesia or cause bleeding and increase the risk of complications. You
should also:

Avoid food and drinks for eight hours before you go to the hospital unless
directed otherwise.
Quit smoking, even if it’s just for one day before the procedure, to improve heart
and lung health. The most bene cial effects are seen with no smoking for two
weeks before.
Stop taking herbal supplements for one to two weeks before the procedure as
directed by your provider.
Not take Viagra® or other medications for erectile dysfunction at least 24 hours
before the procedure.
You should take certain (but not all) blood pressure medications with a sip of
water as instructed by your healthcare provider.

What happens during anesthesia?

A physician anesthesiologist:

Administers one type or a combination of anesthetics listed above pain

therapies, and possibly anti-nausea medications.
Monitors vital signs, including blood pressure, blood oxygen level, pulse and heart
rate. ADVERTISEMENT

Identi es and manages problems, such as an allergic reaction or a change in vital

signs.
Provides postsurgical pain management.

What should I do after getting anesthesia?

For procedures using local anesthesia, you can return to work or most activities
after treatment unless your healthcare provider says otherwise. You’ll need more
time to recover if you’ve received regional or general anesthesia or sedation. You
should: Cleveland Clinic is a non-pro t academic medical
center. Advertising on our site helps support our
mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic
Have someone drive you home. products or services. Policy

Rest for the remainder of the day.

Not drive or operate equipment for 24 hours.
Abstain from alcohol for 24 hours.
Only take medications or supplements approved by your provider.
Avoid making any important or legal decisions for 24 hours.

RISKS / BENEFITS

What are the potential side effects of anesthesia?

Most anesthesia side effects are temporary and go away within 24 hours, often
sooner. Depending on the anesthesia type and how providers administer it, you may
experience:

Back pain or muscle pain.

Chills caused by low body temperature (hypothermia).
Di culty urinating.
Fatigue.
Headache.
Itching.
Nausea and vomiting.
Pain, tenderness, redness or bruising at the injection site.
Sore throat (pharyngitis).

What are the potential risks or complications of

anesthesia?
Every year, millions of Americans safely receive anesthesia while undergoing
medical procedures. However, anesthesia does carry some degree of risk. Potential
complications include:
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Anesthetic awareness: For unknown reasons, about one out of every 1,000
people who receive general anesthesia experience awareness during a
procedure. You may be aware of your surroundings but unable to move or
communicate.
Collapsed lung (atelectasis): Surgery that uses general anesthesia or a breathing
tube can cause a collapsed lung. This rare problem occurs when air sacs in the
lung de ate or ll with uid.
Malignant hyperthermia: People who have malignant hyperthermia (MH)
experience a dangerous reaction to anesthesia. This rare inherited syndrome
Cleveland Clinic is a non-pro t academic medical
causes fever and muscle contractions during surgery. It is important to relate a center. Advertising on our site helps support our
personal or family history of MH to your physician anesthesiologist before your mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic
products or services. Policy
anesthetic to avoid drugs that trigger this reaction.
Nerve damage: Although rare, some people experience nerve damage that
causes temporary or permanent neuropathic pain, numbness, or weakness.
Postoperative delirium: Older people are more prone to postoperative delirium.
This condition causes confusion that comes and goes for about a week. Some
people experience long-term memory and learning problems. This condition is
known as postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

Who is at risk for anesthesia complications?

Certain factors make it riskier to receive anesthesia, including:

Advanced age.
Diabetes or kidney disease.
Family history of malignant hyperthermia (anesthesia allergy).
Heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension) or strokes.
Lung disease, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Obesity (high body mass index or BMI).
Seizures or neurological disorders.
Sleep apnea.
Smoking.

RECOVERY AND OUTLOOK

How long does it take to recover from anesthesia?

Anesthetic drugs can stay in your system for up to 24 hours. If you’ve had sedation
or regional or general anesthesia, you shouldn’t return to work or drive until the drugs
have left your body. After local anesthesia, you should be able to resume normal
activities, as long as your healthcare provider says it’s okay.
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WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

When should I call the healthcare provider?

You should call your healthcare provider if you’ve had anesthesia and experience:

Di culty breathing.
Extreme itching, hives or swelling.
Numbness or paralysis anywhere in your body.
Slurred speech. Cleveland Clinic is a non-pro t academic medical
center. Advertising on our site helps support our
Trouble swallowing. mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic
products or services. Policy

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

How does anesthesia affect pregnancy?

Local anesthesia affects a small area of the body. It’s considered safe for pregnant
or breastfeeding women. Many pregnant women safely receive regional anesthesia,
such as an epidural or spinal block, during childbirth. Your healthcare provider may
recommend postponing elective procedures that require regional or general
anesthesia until after childbirth.

How does anesthesia affect breastfeeding?

Anesthesia is considered safe for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.
Medications used in all types of anesthesia, including general anesthesia, leave the
system quickly. It is often recommended for patients to express their rst breast
milk after a general anesthetic before resuming breast feeding their infant.

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Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/30/2020.

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