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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To trust that General Anaesthesia is safe?

77 replies

perceptionreality · 02/06/2012 22:33

A friend of mine is consumed by the idea that a GA is not as safe as we are told.

He says his mum is a nurse and has seen more than a few people die of a GA when they were otherwise healthy with low risk factors. He is adament that any procedure he has will be done with a local anaesthetic.

Personally, I'm glad he didn't say any of this before I had my operation a few weeks ago. Both times I had a GA I found it a pleasant experience in terms of immediately before and after.

And GAs are far more refined and modified than many years ago aren't they? What do you all think?

OP posts:
Original poster
perceptionreality · 02/06/2012 22:53

I always asked for anti-sickness drugs. I did not feel in the least nauseous afterwards although I did get pains in my shoulders.

OP posts:
HRHEightiesChick · 02/06/2012 22:54

I wouldn't trust this friend's opinion just because their source of information is a nurse - it's a very anecdotal account, hardly based on rigorous scientific research, regardless of who passed it on. I can't offer any references here right now but I would bet that your friend is at much more risk of death every time he crosses the road than he would be under a GA, and I think if he raises it again you should tell him to do some proper research, or get his mum to instead of spooking people with her morbid tales.

pixwix · 02/06/2012 22:55

Well, as a nurse since 1990 - I can honestly say, I've never ever seen anyone die as a direct result of general anaesthesia. When working in theatres as a student, I once saw someone die in theatres, as a result of a dissecting aortic aneurism - nowt to do with the anaesthetic however... I do know that the plural of anecdote is not data

I've had several GA's meself, and been fine.

Ds1 when 11, needed one for plastic surgery on his finger, after someone trod on it - it dislocated, and broke across the growth plate, and his nailbed needed plastic surgery, so he could grow new nails, and also to put said finger back into place, so his finger could grow etc...

I went into the anaesthetic room with him - they put on the monitoring pads, sats monitoring, BP cuff, cannula in, we were laughing and joking together - then they put the fentanyl, anti-emetic, and propofol in, to induce him - and as soon as he drifted off - I howled!

The nurse that was with me was very good, and recognised that however comfortable I was with the idea of a GA - seeing your child drift off with his first GA- is a different emotional scenario Blush

He was absolutely fine :O

DamnBamboo · 02/06/2012 22:55

Really depends on what the procedure is.

I had a digital nerve block done on three fingers of my hand once, when I badly slice through the tendons and ligaments and needed to get it repaired.

I was sat there watching the plastics guy slice through my fingers, inspecting the damage from the glass.

It was very wierd.

Original poster
perceptionreality · 02/06/2012 22:56

I had an epidural and experienced throbbing back pain where the injection went for 6 years afterwards. Then it suddenly disappeared!

OP posts:
swooosh · 02/06/2012 22:57

I've worked as a nurse for 6 years and not once seen anyone die as a result of the GA.

I quite like having a GA myself Grin though I'm always sick afterwards.

NarkedRaspberry · 02/06/2012 22:58

I don't listen to the opinions of someone whose mum is a nurse on anaesthesia.

mercibucket · 02/06/2012 22:59

I would also avoid if possible due to my theory that you can keep more of an eye on what they're doing! I imagine them being a bit slapdash when they know the patient can't hear. Also, I don't fancy the recovery room while still out of it. Ideally if I had to have ga, I would have an advocate observe the ob and my recovery period

I am a distrustful control freak

squeakytoy · 02/06/2012 22:59

At one time I would have said YABU, but having lost my mum due to the effects of a GA, I now have a lot more concern about it. :(

Original poster
perceptionreality · 02/06/2012 23:02

squeakytoy :( I am sorry to hear that

OP posts:
mercibucket · 02/06/2012 23:04

I also chose la for ds1 when he had stitches/surgery on his face as a toddler. We had to pin him down and it was traumatic for him but I was more comfortable with that than the risks of ga. I decided I would never forgive myself if he died under ga but I could forgive myself if he sufferred mental trauma from the la.
This was a special case tho as not in uk and no specialist anaesthetist. Bit like how they used to let dentists use ga til it turned out the death rate was a bit high

mercibucket · 02/06/2012 23:07

I'm so sorry for your loss of your dear mum,squeakytoy

For op: My cousin is a medical negligence lawyer. That doesn't help give you trust either

mercibucket · 02/06/2012 23:07

I'm so sorry for your loss of your dear mum,squeakytoy

For op: My cousin is a medical negligence lawyer. That doesn't help give you trust either

DeathByChocolate01 · 02/06/2012 23:09

I have only had one GA and it was when my appendix had perforated, so I was just happy to be knocked out Grin but if/when I need another one, I will probably be secretly quite pleased... I find it fascinating! I am a fairly trusting person, I have to say - I'm guessing the doctors want me alive just as much as I do. I didn't enjoy recovering from it, I was very sick and hated the way my throat felt from having a tube down there, but it was nowhere near bad enough to put me off having one again if I needed to.

applesnpears · 02/06/2012 23:11

Like any surgery or invasive procedure, no GA is risk free. Even though the risk of complications is very small, thats why they ask you to sign a consent form.

DharmaBumpkin · 02/06/2012 23:12

I had an allergic reaction to a GA during my first operation, in the early 1990s. I didn't die, though I was in hospital for a week or so longer than I expected to be!

Recently needed another operation for completely unrelated reasons, & was assured that things had changed so much that I would be fine. I was :)

I suspect the number of people dying due to GA reactions is far less than the number who would die if they didn't have the operation!

realhousewifeofdevoncounty · 02/06/2012 23:12

I'm a mere medical student damn s o I won't teach you to suck eggs! GrinWink

I had a day case laparoscopy recently and the anaesthetic was fine, but what wasn't so fun was the wound infection I got that made me feel like shit for a couple if weeks after what was supposed to be a fairly minor procedure. Op, I bet if he asked his mum he would find that there are other far more common complications to surgery that would still occur regardless of what anaesthetic was used. I bounced back very quickly from my cs done with a spinal, but was really sick after a relatively minor op done under ga, but it was just bad luck and had bugger all to do with the anaesthetic.

saintlyjimjams · 02/06/2012 23:13

My mum had a very bad reaction to a GA during a minor op (having had previous ones without problem, and no known risk factors). She stopped breathing. The anaesthetist told her she'd given him a fright.

Given the choice I'd have a local every time, or nothing. It was why I waited for my mmc to miscarry naturally - didn't want a GA. But I'm like that with mosts drugs tbh. Of course if I was mid-emergency I doubt I'd care what they did.

squeakytoy · 02/06/2012 23:14

In balance, I know plenty of people, healthy and not in great health who have had GA's and been absolutely fine.. so I know my fears are prejudiced/biased.

My mum was 76 but was in good health, and had hers after breaking her wrist in a fall at home. They had to put her under to reset the bone. She came round for ten minutes, and then collapsed, and died 2 days later without regaining conciousness. Nobody knows what went wrong, the hospital had no explanation, and to be honest, I was in such shock that I barely even questioned it either at the time, and even if I had, it couldnt bring her back.

Four years on and I do wish I had pursued it more, and I do feel the hospital were rather lacking in care the more I have thought about it.

realhousewifeofdevoncounty · 02/06/2012 23:15

Sorry squeakytoy, just read your post. How awful. Sad

monkeymoma · 02/06/2012 23:18

I've had two, Been happy to both times as they were the best option all things considered. I'ld never have one if a local would do though! of course they're risky!

of course your friend is right to choose local if local is an option, but he couldn't have had a local for either of the things I had a GA for, just not an option!

saintlyjimjams · 02/06/2012 23:18

squeakytoy Sad How shocking for you.

I just looked up what happened to my mum. The anaesthetist told her she was in 'stage 4' which according to our friend google means: "Stage 4 anesthesia is basically an anesthetic crisis. It is the time between respiratory arrest and death from circulatory collapse. Assisted ventilation is absolutely essential in this stage, as well as support for the circulatory system through IV fluid administration and medications to stimulate respiration and the cardiovascular system. Hopefully, this stage of anesthesia is never encountered in practice."

So I can see why she gave everyone a fright. She was in her late 50's at the time and not obese/no diabetes or anything like that.

saintlyjimjams · 02/06/2012 23:22

Oh just realised that was copied from the vet site Shock - but it's the same for humans reading a bit more.

UnnamedFemaleProtagonist · 02/06/2012 23:30

I have been ill after every sort of aneasthesia ie general and local. I mentioned this at my last C section and they modified the drugs they gave me and I wasn't ill at all. I can't help you with drug names though I'm afraid.

Marrow · 02/06/2012 23:30

YANBU. Of course there is a risk factor but there is not some giant conspiracy hushing up deaths from GA. Deaths do sadly occur (Sad SqueakyToy) but they are very rare. Surgeons/anaesthetists will always decide upon the better option for the patient and their recovery when deciding between a LA and GA and I would trust their opinion.

I have had 10 generals and some of my surgeries have been between 4 and 5 hours long but I have never suffered any ill effects and do not have any concerns about general anaesthetics.