“Can general anesthesia cause lung problems?”
I will have surgery under general anesthesia. Can general anesthesia cause lung problems?
3 Answers
Thanks for your question. Lung problems after anesthesia often have to do
with failure to get the lungs full of air and not enough coughing to clear
secretions. Most post-anesthesia care includes encouraging the patient to
cough and deep breath several times a day.
with failure to get the lungs full of air and not enough coughing to clear
secretions. Most post-anesthesia care includes encouraging the patient to
cough and deep breath several times a day.
General anesthesia per se could not affect healthy lungs. However inhalational anesthetic is usually avoided in Patients with pneumonia or severe COPD because it potentially can exasperate hypoxia, which is a low oxygen concentration in blood. In that case, it’s preferably to use total
intravenous general anesthesia instead of inhalational. Also in emergent surgeries, there’s a risk of pulmonary aspiration in Patients with full stomachs during induction of anesthesia. That could cause chemical pneumonitis and subsequent pneumonia and ARDS aspiration respiratory
distress syndrome. It’s avoidable with rapid sequence induction and patient positioning. In general, it’s very uncommon to have lung problems from anesthesia.
intravenous general anesthesia instead of inhalational. Also in emergent surgeries, there’s a risk of pulmonary aspiration in Patients with full stomachs during induction of anesthesia. That could cause chemical pneumonitis and subsequent pneumonia and ARDS aspiration respiratory
distress syndrome. It’s avoidable with rapid sequence induction and patient positioning. In general, it’s very uncommon to have lung problems from anesthesia.
Yes, the intubation.
