When going in for surgery wouldn't you just need an anesthetic to remove the pain and a sedative to make you go to sleep, why would a paralytic be used? There seems to be no reason to cut off the control of the muscles.
2007-12-12 16:27:01 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
I'm not a doctor or anything but an anestetic puts you out and you don't feel pain but that wouldn't stop you from moving while you are out. So I guess the paralytic is used so you don't suddenly move in the middle of the surgery.
2007-12-12 16:40:26 · answer #1 · answered by Cathy 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There are a number of reasons why paralytics are used in anesthesia. They are not used in every case - only when they are needed.
1. Intubation: Getting a breathing tube in requires that we be able to open the mouth fully to do the laryngoscopy, and that the vocal cords be relaxed so that they are open and we don't do them any damage. It is sometimes possible to intubate without relaxants, but not always, and it's more risky to do it that way.
2. Surgical exposure: Muscles have tone, and that can interfere with the surgeon's ability to do the operation. In most belly cases, we have surgeons asking us for more relaxation at the end of the case so they can get the belly closed. It's also not so good for muscles to be tense when they are being cut or pushed out of the way by retractors.
3. Movement: There are situations where movement would be bad, like when an eye surgeon has instruments in your eyeball. A little movement could have disastrous consequences.
4. Breathing issues: There are patients (hello, smokers!) who have sensitive airways, and don't like the breathing tube. They cough and buck on the tube, and make ventilation difficult to impossible. Those people are ventilated better when paralyzed. Ditto for obese patients - sometimes it's just too hard to breathe for them when their muscles are fighting us.
That's a few for you. Many cases are done with out a breathing tube and without paralysis. There are many factors that go into what is used in anesthesia, and every anesthetic is tailored to the individual.
2007-12-13 10:09:49 · answer #2 · answered by Pangolin 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
People have been known to move while asleep.
In addition, I believe that while the combined effects of the sedative and anesthetic do reduce the possibility of voluntary movement during surgery, they don't do much for the involuntary movements that also need to be stopped in order for a surgeon to work on you, such as reflexes and smooth muscle motion.
2007-12-12 16:46:14 · answer #3 · answered by dtewsacrificial 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Try exposing abdominal organs with the muscles in the abdominal wall tense, and it'll make perfect sense to you. And a lot of people are intubated for the inhalational anesthetic. Biting and gagging don't make it easy. The doctors' job is hard enough not to go looking for ways to make it harder.
2007-12-12 18:17:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yup... there is the chance of movement while under sedation. So, it's a bad idea when the patient is moving while the surgeon is operating on the heart, brain, or any other delicate area that requires no mobility. Also makes it easier to operate in general with lower risk of complications.
2007-12-12 16:57:22 · answer #5 · answered by Dr. K 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Muscle relaxants are given to grossly reduce tension of muscles thereby reducing the bleeding from muscles. Lax muscles under relaxants facilitate stretching of groups of muscle fibers increasing the operable area comfortably. And reflex muscle movements are prevented.
2007-12-12 17:06:34 · answer #6 · answered by J.SWAMY I ఇ జ స్వామి 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋