Care Anaesthetics Patient information
Safety & risks.
An honest, plain-English look at how safe modern anaesthesia is, and the side effects and rare risks worth understanding.
How safe is it?
Anaesthesia in Australia is very safe. Continuous monitoring, modern medicines and a specialist dedicated solely to you make it safer still. For most healthy people, the risk from the anaesthetic is far smaller than the risk from the condition being treated.
Common, minor side effects
Nausea, drowsiness, a sore throat, shivering or a dry mouth are the more commonplace after-effects of an anaesthetic. They're uncomfortable rather than dangerous, and we work to prevent and treat them actively. Most patients undergoing a general anaesthetic will have at least 2 medications which directly or indirectly help reduce the incidence of nausea, administered during their procedure. More will be prescribed as a backup in your drug chart afterwards, and are available to you should you ask for them.
Rare, more serious risks
Significant problems are uncommon. These include severe allergic reactions, breathing or heart complications, nerve injury, or awareness. Your health, your procedure and your history change the picture, which is exactly why we talk it through beforehand and plan around you.
Reducing your risk
Tell us everything: your medications, allergies, past anaesthetics, smoking, sleep apnoea and health conditions, and follow your fasting instructions. Honest information lets me tailor the safest possible plan for you.