Potential Risks and Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Anesthesia and What You Need to Know
It is perfectly natural to feel anxious about anesthesia before a surgical procedure. In modern medicine, anesthesia techniques and medications have reached an exceptionally high level of safety compared to previous years. We’ve compiled the medical facts to address any concerns you may have:
Why do I have to fast and avoid drinking anything before surgery?
Under anesthesia, the muscles of your stomach relax. If your stomach is full, its contents (food and acid) can flow back up through your esophagus and enter your windpipe and lungs (risk of aspiration). This is a very serious complication that can have fatal consequences. For this reason, it is a medical requirement to completely stop eating solid foods at least 6–8 hours before surgery and to stop drinking water 4 hours before surgery.
Does spinal or epidural (lower back) anesthesia cause paralysis?
This is one of the most common medical myths among the general public. The spinal cord ends in the upper back. The injection used for spinal or epidural anesthesia is administered in the area where the nerve roots are located, well below the point where the spinal cord ends. When performed by experts using anatomical guidance, the risk of these procedures causing paralysis is statistically negligible.
Is there a chance I might not wake up after surgery, or that I might wake up late?
Modern anesthetic drugs have very short elimination half-lives, and their effects are predictable. Once anesthesia is discontinued, patients typically wake up within minutes and are taken to the Recovery Unit. Delayed awakening is a very rare occurrence and is usually associated with the patient’s existing chronic conditions, such as kidney or liver disease. In healthy individuals, the fear of “not waking up” is unfounded.
Is it common to experience nausea, vomiting, and severe chills when waking up from anesthesia?
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) may occur depending on a patient’s genetic predisposition, female gender, smoking status, and the type of surgery performed (e.g., ear, nose, and throat; obstetrics and gynecology). However, our anesthesiologists minimize this risk by administering prophylactic (antiemetic) medications during surgery. Chills and shivering upon waking are related to the muscle-relaxing effects of anesthetic gases; our patients are quickly brought back to normal body temperature in the recovery room using special heating devices.
How can I relieve my post-surgery pain?
During the recovery phase (in the recovery unit), the patient’s pain level is assessed. Our anesthesiologists administer potent pain relievers intravenously to ensure the patient can return to the ward pain-free. For patients who have received epidural anesthesia, a thin catheter in the back allows them to press a button whenever they feel pain to receive a safe dose of pain medication (PCA—Patient-Controlled Analgesia).
⚠️ Informed Consent (Consent Form)
In accordance with medical regulations and patient rights, our physicians will transparently explain all these potential risks, the type of surgery, and the chosen anesthesia method to you during your preoperative outpatient evaluation. The process becomes official and begins only after you sign the written Anesthesia Consent Form.
