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'Risks associated with your anaesthetic' The risk information leaflets » |
Risk and having an anaesthetic
Risk is a part of life. All medical treatments carry risks, and so do many things that we do in life – such as driving on the motorway, swimming in the sea, or even eating many types of food. Having an anaesthetic is often thought to be especially risky, even though the facts are that very very few people having an anaesthetic these days actually come to serious harm because of the anaesthetic.
Having an anaesthetic is certainly potentially dangerous, but it is made very much safer by anaesthetists’ training and equipment. Your anaesthetist stays beside you all the way through the anaesthetic and he /she can adjust the anaesthetic to keep you safe and healthy. Careful observation and a swift response are fundamental to the job of your anaesthetist, and he/she works with a trained assistant and has access to a variety of alternative equipment, medicines and other treatments to bring you safely through your anaesthetic.
Anaesthesia – a risky business?
People vary in how they feel about the same risk. Your anaesthetist will aim to share information about risks, including how often they happen, and let you decide for yourself how you feel about that risk. He/she can also explain to you the benefits of a treatment or type of anaesthetic so that you can see how you feel about those too. After that, only you can decide what you want to do.
| Mr B has very bad problems with his heart. He knows that having an anaesthetic could be very risky for him. He is very keen to have an operation on his prostate gland because at the moment he has to have a catheter (a tube) in his bladder to drain away the urine, which he hates. After a careful talk with his anaesthetist he is told that probably, the risk of something very serious happening during an anaesthetic might be about 1 in 10. This includes dying, but also having another heart attack. He is actually delighted to hear this risk. This means that he has a 9 out of 10 chance of coming through the anaesthetic safely. Compared with the misery of keeping his bladder catheter, he is keen to go ahead. |
Where do the facts come from?
Some of the information you are given about risks, including everything in this website, is based on hard facts. For example 'Studies have shown that 1 in 4500 people having a general anaesthetic will get damage to their teeth.' (see later section X).
Other information you may be given will be based on the anaesthetist’s own judgement and experience. This may be because specific facts do not exist, but also because your anaesthetist is thinking about your personal health and circumstances.
So you may like to ask your anaesthetist which information is based on fact, and which on his/her own judgement.
How does that risk affect me?
Let’s think about the risk of damage to teeth (quoted as happening in 1 in 4500 general anaesthetics). You may have a higher risk than that - perhaps you have prominent teeth that are not in very good condition. Or you may have a lower risk than that - perhaps you are not having the kind of anaesthetic that is most often linked to damaged teeth.
So you can find out where your anaesthetist thinks you stand within the overall risk. Are you 'Mr Average'? - or are you less likely or more likely than the average person to have that risk happen to you?
What else do I need to think about? – risks and benefits
There is always a balance between risk and benefit.
Mr B (from the patient story above) was so keen to get rid of his catheter that he accepted a risk which might have put some people off. He also took into account how successful the operation was likely to be, because not all prostate operations end up allowing the man to get rid of the catheter.
So, if you want to make an informed decision, you will need to put together information from your surgeon and your anaesthetist.
I really can’t decide – who can help me?
If you find it difficult to decide what to do – (and many people do) – these are some people who can help you.
- Your GP or practice nurse who know you well.
- Your anaesthetist and surgeon. They may be willing to give you their own personal view. But this will be influenced by their own ideas and values, which may not be the same as yours.
- Other patients who have been through the treatment that is being suggested. This can be especially helpful, but is sometimes difficult to set up. If you are in hospital, your nurses on the ward may be able to find someone for you to talk to you. Or you can ask your GP.
Can I do anything to reduce my own risk?
The answer to this may very well be – yes! All the information on this website, starting with the basic leaflet, tells you if there is anything you can do to help yourself. This might start with giving up smoking or having your teeth checked over, or involve deep breathing exercises after your operation and taking charge of your own pain control.
Go to:
'Risks associated with your anaesthetic' - The risk information leaflets
Numbers, words and pictures - facts about risk
This page last updated on 28/07/2010