“Chance of serious complication from anesthesia?”
What are the chances that I will experience serious complications from anesthesia? I need to have my wisdom teeth taken out, but I waited too long so it is considered a more serious procedure. I've never "been under" before. Should I be worried?
15 Answers
The chances for a serious complication will depend upon your state of health, i.e., your comorbidities. Also, make sure that your anesthesia care is provided by a trained and experienced and licensed anesthesiologist with all the required monitoring and available drugs and equipment. In most instances, anesthesia is safe. But not knowing other issues with regards to your health, breathing issues, and ease with which a breathing tube can be placed are some of the factors that will need to be evaluated to estimate your risk.
You will have to talk to your anesthesiologist who is taking care of you. No one can answer this question without a history and physical.
Tom
Tom
In general Anesthesia is very safe if performed by a Board Certified Anesthesiologist.
1) healthy or with multiple co-morbidities?
2) minor or major surgery
3) adult or pediatric population
4) in major medical center or a smaller surgicenter
Depending upon the experience of different entity variables the complication rates will vary. Overall with all the new medicines, newer monitors and newer surgical approaches, the complication have been substantially reduced, safer than getting in one’s car and driving to the hospital, esp. during rush hour traffic. We are able to
tackle more critical patients for more critical surgeries.
2) minor or major surgery
3) adult or pediatric population
4) in major medical center or a smaller surgicenter
Depending upon the experience of different entity variables the complication rates will vary. Overall with all the new medicines, newer monitors and newer surgical approaches, the complication have been substantially reduced, safer than getting in one’s car and driving to the hospital, esp. during rush hour traffic. We are able to
tackle more critical patients for more critical surgeries.
In general, anesthesia with proper monitoring is quite safe. Two things determine your chances of anesthetic complication: your health and your family history of anesthetic problems (genetic factors), and the skill of your provider of general anesthesia. I would inquire about the qualifications of the anesthesia provider; best would be an experienced board certified physician anesthesiologist, andnext choice would be a qualified nurse anesthetist working under supervision of physician anesthesiologist.
If you are in descent health, the risk of a serious anesthesia complication administered by a competent anesthesiologist would be quite low.
There is always a risk, however small
Wisdom tooth extraction is a minor procedure. If it is done in a hospital operating room setting with an anesthesiologist, OR nurses, and ancillary staff present, it is a very safe procedure. If done in a dentist's office without an anesthesiologist, and using dentist-administered nitrous oxide, it is less safe.
Typically these types of procedures are done under deep sedation. This means you are asleep and unaware of surroundings but your body functions on its own. There is no breathing tube, no paralysis. Some oral surgeons can administer deep sedation themselves, some choose to bring anesthesiologist on board. There is always a small risk of breathing problems with deep sedation but anesthesiologist is trained to recognize and intervene so that no significant issue occurs. It's a nervous experience to have anesthesia for the first time, but you'll be pleasantly surprised how smooth it goes.
No
All anesthetics have a risk..no matter even if it is a local. The clue is to put yourself under the care of an adequately trained professional and follow instructions.
If you are basically in good health there should be minimal risk for
anesthesia. For wisdom teeth depending on how many they are planning on
taking out, usually local anesthesia and sedation is enough. If they are
using TIVA (Total IV Anesthesia) with an anesthesiologist present, then
they will perform a history and physical exam and ask you a series of
questions to determine your risk of an anesthetic.
anesthesia. For wisdom teeth depending on how many they are planning on
taking out, usually local anesthesia and sedation is enough. If they are
using TIVA (Total IV Anesthesia) with an anesthesiologist present, then
they will perform a history and physical exam and ask you a series of
questions to determine your risk of an anesthetic.
Anesthesia is safe in the proper hands. I would recommend a maxillofacial surgeon. They are trained in anesthesia during residency and they are also trained to do very complex procedures as well.
Developing complications in anaesthesia is quite rare specially when most of the complications in theaters are either related to the patient condition before surgery or sometimes surgical complications. As anaesthetists, we still take all precautions to help avoid complications regardless of whether the procedure is simple or complex.
Things like length of procedure, the admiting cause all play a very important role in predisposing the patient to complications. However, wisdom teeth extraction is a fairly safe surgical procedure that is done in abundance everyday everywhere in the world.
We say the chances of you dying from being hit by a car on the street are much higher than dying from anaesthetics.
In your case, if you are a young and fit person, follow the fasting guidelines before the procedure and there is nothing to worry about.
Things like length of procedure, the admiting cause all play a very important role in predisposing the patient to complications. However, wisdom teeth extraction is a fairly safe surgical procedure that is done in abundance everyday everywhere in the world.
We say the chances of you dying from being hit by a car on the street are much higher than dying from anaesthetics.
In your case, if you are a young and fit person, follow the fasting guidelines before the procedure and there is nothing to worry about.
Anesthesia needs to be administered by a properly trained physician, in a properly monitored setting with all the necessary equipment to resuscitate a person in the event of an emergency. If any one of those components are missing, then you need to worry. Do your research and ask questions about qualifications, types of monitoring and emergency response.
Good luck,
Dr Ketch
Good luck,
Dr Ketch
