Home > Encyclopedia of Surgery > Anesthesia, General

Definition

General anesthesia is the induction of a balanced state of unconsciousness, accompanied by the absence of pain sensation and the paralysis of skeletal muscle over the entire body. It is induced through the administration of anesthetic drugs and is used during major surgery and other invasive surgical procedures.

Purpose

General anesthesia is intended to bring about five distinct states during surgery:

• analgesia, or pain relief
• amnesia, or loss of memory of the procedure
• loss of consciousness
• motionlessness
• weakening of autonomic responses

Precautions

A complete medical history, including a history of allergies in family members, is an important...