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my mother broke her wrist the bone is in pieces. the doctor said that they are giving her anesthesia. I heard you can die from that. is that true?. Also if will she's in surgery. they have to be careful not to cut the blood vessel. Can you die from that?!

2007-07-30 19:54:56 · 17 answers · asked by Sheena 2 in Health Other - Health

17 answers

Although all types of anesthesia involve some risk, major side effects and complications from anesthesia are uncommon. Your specific risks depend on your health, the type of anesthesia used, and your response to anesthesia.

Your age may be a risk factor. In general, the risks associated with anesthesia and surgery increase in older people.

Certain medical conditions, such as heart, circulation, or nervous system problems, increase your risk of complications from anesthesia

When used properly, local anesthetics are safe and have few major side effects. However, in high doses local anesthetics can have toxic effects caused by being absorbed through the bloodstream into the rest of the body (systemic toxicity). This may significantly affect your breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure, and other body functions. Because of these potential toxic effects, equipment for emergency care must be immediately available when local anesthetics are used.

For regional anesthesia, an anesthetic is injected close to a nerve, a bundle of nerves, or the spinal cord. In rare cases, nerve damage can cause persistent numbness, weakness, or pain.

Regional anesthesia (regional nerve blocks, epidural and spinal anesthesia) also carries the risk of systemic toxicity if the anesthetic is absorbed through the bloodstream into the body. Other complications include heart or lung problems, and infection, swelling, or bruising (hematoma) at the injection site.

Spinal anesthesia medication is injected into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid). The most common complication of spinal anesthesia is a headache caused by leaking of this fluid. With current techniques of giving spinal anesthesia, this occurs in about 1% to 2% of all people who have spinal anesthesia and is more common in younger people. A spinal headache may be treated quickly with a blood patch to prevent further complications; a blood patch involves injecting a small amount of the person's own blood into the area where the leak is most likely occurring to seal the hole and to increase pressure in the spinal canal and relieve the pull on the membranes surrounding the canal.

Serious side effects of general anesthesia are uncommon in people who are otherwise healthy. However, because general anesthesia affects the whole body, it is more likely to cause side effects than local or regional anesthesia. Fortunately, most side effects of general anesthesia are minor and can be easily managed.

General anesthesia suppresses the normal throat reflexes such as swallowing, coughing, or gagging that prevent aspiration. Aspiration occurs when an object or liquid is inhaled into the respiratory tract (the windpipe or the lungs). To help prevent aspiration, an endotracheal (ET) tube may be inserted during general anesthesia. When an ET tube is in place, the lungs are protected so stomach contents cannot enter the lungs. Aspiration during anesthesia and surgery is very uncommon. People are usually instructed not to eat or drink anything for a specific number of hours before anesthesia so that their stomach is empty to reduce this risk. Anesthesia specialists use many safety measures to minimize the risk of aspiration in all patients.

Insertion or removal of airways may cause respiratory problems such as coughing; gagging; or muscle spasms in the voice box, or larynx (laryngospasm), or in the bronchial tubes in the lungs (bronchospasm). Insertion of airways also may cause an increase in blood pressure (hypertension) and heart rate (tachycardia). Other complications may include damage to teeth and lips, swelling in the larynx, sore throat, and hoarseness caused by injury or irritation of the larynx. Other serious risks of general anesthesia include changes in blood pressure or heart rate or rhythm, heart attack, or stroke. Death or serious illness or injury due solely to anesthesia is rare and is usually also related to complications from the surgery. Death occurs in about 1 in 250,000 people receiving general anesthesia, although risks are greater for those people with serious medical conditions.1

Some people who are going to have general anesthesia express concern that they will not be completely unconscious but will "wake up" and have some awareness during the surgical procedure. But awareness during general anesthesia is very rare because anesthesia specialists devote careful attention and use many methods to prevent this

Some anesthetic medications may cause allergic or other abnormal reactions in some people, but these are rare. If you suspect you may have such a problem, you should bring this to the attention of both your surgeon and anesthesia specialist well before your surgery. Testing will then be arranged as necessary.

A rare, potentially fatal condition called malignant hyperthermia (MH) may be triggered by some anesthetics. The anesthetics most commonly associated with malignant hyperthermia include the potent inhalation anesthetics and the muscle relaxant succinylcholine

2007-07-30 20:00:12 · answer #1 · answered by tlalteutli 4 · 1 0

It depends on whether it's local or general anesthesia. For local anesthesia they just inject some stuff into her wrist to numb it while they work on it. For general anesthesia they inject it into a vein and she goes to sleep.

General anesthesia is a little more dangerous. Years ago I read that 1 in 100,000 people died from it. And that was years ago, it's probably better now. You have to admit, those are pretty good odds!

It's VERY unlikely your mother could die from a doctor accidentally cutting a blood vessel in her wrist. That might be serious, but not likely fatal. For hundreds of years in the Arabic world they have been punishing thieves by chopping off one hand. This is not done as a medical operation in a hospital but in the public square with an axe! These people rarely die.

Your wrist is a fairly complicated part of the body. To put the pieces together may be a complicated operation that could take several hours! They may put in some metal pieces, screws and things, to hold it together until it heals. And afterwards it might take a long time to heal. But it's amazing what they can do these days.

So anyway, don't worry about the anesthesia.

2007-07-30 20:05:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

Your mother will have general anesthesia while they reset and reconstruct the bone in her wrist. Usually that is done with sedation through an intravenous drip line, not by mask. There are always risks when you administer anesthesia, but they are not that high, and are in fact lower still when the medication is done through the iv. Working in the wrist, yes, they have to take care to avoid damaging the nerve and blood supply that are nearby. But we are talking surgeons with experience here, not some learner off the street with a "hand surgery for dummies" handbook. You have to trust they know exactly what they are doing and will do the job right. This type of surgery is done all over the world every day, and the majority of the people having it done are just fine. Given that your mother has a broken wrist bone that requires surgery to repair, she currently has a useless hand and is likely in a lot of pain with it. The surgery will give her back the use of her hand. Not having it done can mean she loses the hand entirely- not just the use of it, but to the point where the hand has to be removed. That would be rather senseless, since it can be avoided with doing the repair. Although it is normal to be worried and a little scared, you need to put your fears in proportion and have a little faith here. Your mother has had it all explained to her, the risks and the benefits, and she obviously feels this is the correct choice. In all likelyhood your mom is going to do just fine, and you will both survive the surgery. Relax a little, and quit dreaming up worse case scenarios. Your mother is going to do just fine.

2007-07-30 20:10:46 · answer #3 · answered by The mom 7 · 1 0

Doctors must always warn you about possible death risks.
Anesthesia is medicine to make you comfortable during surgery or a procedure. The most common deaths from this source are

1) You could have a bad reaction to the medicine.
2) You could have a seizure or heart attack.
3) Your temperature could go very high.

The odds of you dying from Anesthesia are 1 in 25K people.

She'll be fine...Take care

2007-07-30 20:07:34 · answer #4 · answered by Gustavo 1 · 2 0

Most healthy people don't have any problems with general anesthesia. Although many people may have mild, temporary symptoms, general anesthesia itself is exceptionally safe, even for the sickest patients. The risk of long-term complications, much less death, is very small. In general, the risk of complications is more closely related to the type of procedure you're undergoing, and your general physical health, than to the anesthesia itself.

-Symbiosisonlinepublishing

2015-09-02 20:19:39 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0 0

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Die from anesthesia.?
my mother broke her wrist the bone is in pieces. the doctor said that they are giving her anesthesia. I heard you can die from that. is that true?. Also if will she's in surgery. they have to be careful not to cut the blood vessel. Can you die from that?!

2015-08-06 03:32:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

yes it is possible but not likely these days. They will be able to give her medicine to reverse it and make her wake up if she has problems with the anesthesia. If they cut the blood vessel by mistake they can stop it from bleeding right away. This surgery would be considered minor to the doctor. I know its not minor to you or your mother because it concerns the two of you. I would just be comfortable and happy that she will be taken care of by professionals. I wish you and your mother well.

2007-07-30 19:59:36 · answer #7 · answered by LYNN W 6 · 1 0

People have reactions to medications in different levels of severity including death. Anesthaesia is controlled administration of medications to induce sleep or prevent the perception of pain. So people do on occaision die from anesthaesia. However, most people having wrist surgery have regional anesthaesia (meaning they put only the arm to sleep) and are then given medications to help them relax. With regional anesthaesia there is minimal risk of death.

As far as bleeding. During most orthopaedic procedures a pnuematic tourniquet is used to decrease blood loss, Vessels cut during the procedure are usually small vessels and are cautherized to stop bleeding, some are tied off if neccessary. Death from blood loss during an orthopaedic procedure is virtually unheard of now.

Don't worry too much about the risk of death from a limited oprthopaedic open reduction with or without internal or external fixation. Your mother's greater concerns will be post operative discomfort (usually controlled easily with medications) and rehabilitation during and after healing.

2007-07-30 20:07:15 · answer #8 · answered by US_DR_JD 7 · 1 0

technicallly, anyone can die from anything
but i have had anesthesia about 4 times, and i haev not died!!
s your mom should be finee!!
if they cut the blood vessel, she would lose some blood, or a lot of blood depenedingg how many redbloodcells she ahs to clot the cut and stop it bleedingg. if she loses too much bllod she could die, but dont; worry your mom will eb absolutel fine, doctors have had so much experience and knowledge

good luck
best of wishes

2007-07-30 19:59:30 · answer #9 · answered by Jackkkieee 1 · 2 0

There are anasthesists who take extreme care during an operation. Death from anasthesia can happen but is extremeley rare. So you need not worry about it. Surgeons are highly trained person who ensure that there is no damage to any additional places except the affected part. So do not worry about blood vessels getting cut.
All the best for the operation and wish your mother "Get well soon" on my behalf. Do not worry, everythign would be alright.

2007-07-30 20:02:12 · answer #10 · answered by Subhasis G 4 · 1 0

the short and simple answer: Both cases could be fatal but rare. If ure mom is allergic to anesthesia or they give her too much is how it could be fatal. but of course docs try to be prepared for the worse and its very unlikely that ure mom is allergic. and for the blood vessel of course also rare, but they will have blood ready just in case she begins to lose to much.
She should be fine. dont worry too much, Im sure its nerve wrecking.

2007-07-30 20:13:07 · answer #11 · answered by shes a dream come tru! 3 · 1 0

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