General anaesthesia

Question 1

What is General Anaesthesia?

Answer 1

State of controlled and reversible unconsciousness characterised by lack of pain sensation, lack of memory, and relatively depressed reflex responses

Question 2

What routes may induce or maintain general anaesthesia (name 3)

Answer 2

I/V
I/M
Inhalational
I/P

Question 3

What does general anaesthesia cause

Answer 3

• loss of consciousness
• lack of pain sensation (analgesia)
• Muscle relaxants
• Amnesia

Question 4

Name 3 advantages of general anaesthesia

Answer 4

• Convenience and practicality
• Rapid loss of consciousness
• Wide surgical field available and variety of surgical procedures can be performed

Question 5

Name 3 disadvantages of General Anaesthesia

Answer 5

• Need for restraint of the patient prior to induction
• Requirement for skilled administration and continued monitoring of the patient
• A degree of cardiovascular and respiratory depression
• Costs a lot
• If you have a compromised/sick patient then it is dangerous to induce anaesthesia and cause unconsciousness