General anaesthetic

A general anaesthetic uses medicines to make you unconscious so you will not feel pain, move or be aware during surgery.

The specially trained doctor who manages your general anaesthetic is called an anaesthetist.

General anaesthetics are used for major and some minor operations. Some operations can only be done under general anaesthetic.

Alternatives to a general anaesthetic include:

• local anaesthetic, which numbs a small area of your body
• regional anaesthetic, which numbs a whole area of your body
• sedation, which makes you sleepy

The best anaesthetic for you depends on the type of surgery you are having, your health and your doctors' preferences. You can discuss this with your doctor or anaesthetist before surgery.

Sometimes, children have a general anaesthetic to help them keep still for a procedure, such as an MRI.

Before surgery

You will need to fast before you have a general anaesthetic. This is so there is no food in your stomach that could come up and be inhaled during surgery.

If you inhale food into your lungs (known as aspiration), it can cause serious complications. A member of your health team will let you know when you need to stop eating and what drinks you are allowed to have before your procedure.

They may also advise:

• what medicines you should not take before and on the day of surgery
• not to drink alcohol from the day before surgery
• to quit smoking as early as possible before surgery
• not to use drugs for at least a week before surgery

In most cases, you will receive the general anaesthetic as an injection into a vein on the back of your hand. The medicines are given through a thin plastic tube called a cannula. Sometimes, you will inhale (breathe in) an anaesthetic gas through a mask.

During surgery, your anaesthetist will monitor your level of consciousness, breathing, oxygen level, heart rate and blood pressure. They will usually place a breathing tube in your mouth and give you oxygen.

They will continue giving you anaesthetic medicines through your vein or through a mask to keep you unconscious. Your anaesthetist can adjust the amount of anaesthetic you receive based on what you need at the time.

When you wake from a general anaesthetic, you might feel sleepy or nauseous, or have a headache. You will usually be in the recovery room when you wake up. A nurse will monitor you. You can ask for medicines to reduce nausea or pain.

If you are staying in hospital, you will be transferred to a ward once you are fully awake.

If you have had major surgery, you might continue to get pain medicines through a drip while you are in the ward. The ward nurses will check on you regularly.

You can usually go home after day surgery when you are:

• fully conscious, alert and mobile
• able to manage any side effects, such as nausea or pain
• experiencing only minimal bleeding from your surgical wound
• drinking fluids
• able to urinate (wee)

You can't drive home yourself after a general anaesthetic. You should arrange for someone to pick you up or help you get home. It's best to have someone with you for the next 24 hours so they can make sure you are OK.

If your child has had a general anaesthetic, check with the nurses if there are any side effects to look out for. They might tell you to take your child to the emergency department (Opens in new tab) if you are worried after you get home.

Common side effects include:

• nausea and vomiting
• dizziness or headache
• tiredness
• itching
• shivering
• blurred vision
• sore throat or dry lips

Older people may experience confusion and memory loss.

General anaesthetics are generally safe. Some possible risks include:

• damage to your teeth (due to the breathing tube)
• allergic reactions to anaesthetic medicines
• temporary numbness or paralysis
• aspiration (breathing in saliva or your stomach contents)
• chest infection

Although very rare, there is a chance of severe complications. These may include loss of sight, stroke or brain damage, or even death.

Some people are frightened that they might be aware during the operation or feel pain. This is rare. Your anaesthetist will monitor you throughout the operation to make sure that this is very unlikely to happen.

If you are worried about risks and side effects, talk to your anaesthetist before surgery.

It is common to worry about going for surgery and having a general anaesthetic. You can learn more from these resources to help you feel ready.

• The Australian Society of Anaesthetists (Opens in new tab) provides detailed answers to common questions (Opens in new tab) about having an anaesthetic.
• The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne has information about how to prepare your child (Opens in new tab) for general anaesthesia.
• The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA (Opens in new tab)) has a short video on preparing for your operation (Opens in new tab).
• Queensland Health has a patient information sheet (Opens in new tab) that explains how to prepare for surgery, the risks and what to expect afterwards.

Languages other than English?

• Health Translations Victoria (Opens in new tab) has information about preparing for day surgery (Opens in new tab) in a range of community languages.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.