General Anaesthesia
General Anaesthesia is the administration of carefully chosen medications that induce a controlled, reversible state of unconsciousness - ensuring you are completely pain-free, unaware, and safe throughout any surgical or diagnostic procedure requiring your full stillness and comfort.
Overview
General Anaesthesia is administered by a specialist anaesthesiologist who tailors the anaesthetic plan entirely to your individual medical history, the type of surgery, and its expected duration. A combination of intravenous induction agents, inhaled maintenance gases, muscle relaxants, and opioid analgesics work together to produce unconsciousness, muscle relaxation, and complete pain suppression throughout the procedure. Continuous monitoring of your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, end-tidal CO2, and depth of anaesthesia ensures your safety at every moment.
Types of General Anaesthesia
The specific technique used is chosen based on the nature of surgery, your health status, and airway anatomy.
- Total Intravenous Anaesthesia (TIVA - propofol and remifentanil infusions without inhaled gas)
- Inhalational Anaesthesia (volatile agents such as sevoflurane or desflurane)
- Balanced Anaesthesia (combination of IV and inhalational agents with regional nerve blocks)
- Laryngeal Mask Airway Technique (LMA - for spontaneously breathing patients)
- Endotracheal Intubation (for prolonged surgery, airway protection, or ventilation requirement)
Risk Factors Relevant to General Anaesthesia
Understanding your personal risk factors allows the anaesthesiologist to plan the safest possible anaesthetic for your specific procedure.
- Obesity - increases airway difficulty and respiratory risk during anaesthesia
- Obstructive sleep apnoea - increases upper airway obstruction risk during recovery
- Severe heart or lung disease - requires additional monitoring and tailored drug selection
- Previous adverse reaction to anaesthesia or family history of malignant hyperthermia
- Diabetes, kidney, or liver disease affecting drug metabolism and blood sugar management
- Smoking - increases airway secretions and post-operative respiratory complications
Symptoms and Indications for General Anaesthesia
General anaesthesia is indicated when the surgical or diagnostic procedure cannot be safely or comfortably performed under local or regional anaesthesia alone.
- Major abdominal, thoracic, orthopaedic, or neurosurgical procedures
- Prolonged procedures where patient movement or discomfort would compromise safety
- Paediatric procedures where cooperation and stillness cannot be ensured
- Emergency surgery requiring immediate airway control and rapid surgical access
- Procedures where patient anxiety or psychological factors preclude awake techniques
- Surgeries requiring specific body positions incompatible with regional anaesthesia alone
- Cases where regional anaesthesia is contraindicated due to coagulopathy or infection
- Patient preference after full discussion of regional and sedation alternatives
Key Benefits
Discover the advantages of choosing our general anaesthesia services.
Complete unconsciousness and amnesia with no awareness or discomfort during surgery
Tailored anaesthetic plan based on your specific medical history and procedure
Expert airway management protecting you from aspiration throughout
Dedicated anaesthesiologist monitoring your safety every second
Smooth recovery with active management of pain and nausea from the moment you wake
Clinical Features
The technology, techniques and clinical approach behind our general anaesthesia.
Pre-operative airway assessment identifies difficult airway before induction
Pre-oxygenation maximises the safe apnoea time during airway management
Continuous multi-parameter monitoring throughout all phases of anaesthesia
Dedicated anaesthesiologist at your side from induction to recovery room
Multimodal anti-nausea strategy reduces post-operative nausea and vomiting
Preparation Instructions
Do not drive, operate machinery, drink alcohol, or make important decisions for 24 hours after general anaesthesia. Mild sore throat, grogginess, nausea, and muscle aches are common and resolve within 24 to 48 hours. Take prescribed post-operative analgesics regularly. Contact your anaesthetic team or hospital immediately for persistent vomiting, chest pain, difficulty breathing, or high fever after discharge.
The Procedure
Step-by-step guide to what you can expect during your general anaesthesia procedure.
Pre-Operative Assessment and Planning
Your anaesthesiologist visits before surgery to review your medical history, assess your airway, confirm fasting status, and design the anaesthetic plan -- explaining every step so you feel fully informed and confident.
IV Cannula and Pre-Oxygenation
An IV cannula is placed and you breathe 100% oxygen for 3 to 5 minutes -- pre-oxygenation maximises the oxygen reserve in your lungs providing a critical safety margin during induction.
Smooth Induction of Unconsciousness
Induction agents produce smooth rapid loss of consciousness within 30 to 60 seconds -- most patients describe feeling warm and drowsy before peacefully drifting off with no awareness during the procedure.
Airway Management and Ventilation
An LMA or endotracheal tube maintains your airway throughout. Mechanical ventilation delivers controlled breaths with precise oxygen and anaesthetic gas concentrations monitored continuously.
Continuous Monitoring Throughout Surgery
Heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, end-tidal CO2, and anaesthetic depth are monitored every moment -- the anaesthesiologist adjusting drug delivery in real time to maintain exactly the right depth.
Recovery and Post-Anaesthetic Care
At the end of surgery anaesthetic agents are stopped and you wake naturally in the recovery room -- a dedicated nurse managing post-operative pain, nausea, and oxygen therapy until you are safely ready for the ward.
What to Expect
Your anaesthesiologist will visit you before surgery to review your medical history, examine your airway, and explain the anaesthetic plan. In theatre, you receive a smooth induction through an intravenous cannula - most patients describe simply feeling warm and drowsy before drifting off. You wake in the recovery room with a nurse present, and post-operative nausea and pain are actively managed before you return to the ward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about general anaesthesia.
Related Services
Explore other services in our Anaesthesiology department.
Spinal Anaesthesia
Epidural Anaesthesia
Regional Nerve Block
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