Anesthesia closer to coma than sleep

[n2doc]

By Julie SteenhuysenPosted 2010/12/29 at 6:49 pm EST

CHICAGO, Dec. 29, 2010 (Reuters) — Instead of a deep sleep, general anesthesia is more like a reversible drug-induced coma, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday, in findings that could lead to better treatments for coma and better anesthesia.

"General anesthesia is pharmacological coma, not sleep," said Dr. Nicholas Schiff of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, who worked on the study with Dr. Emery Brown of Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr. Ralph Lydic of the University of Michigan.

Their findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, represent a three-year exploration of the similarities and differences of sleep, anesthesia and coma.

They said while doctors and patients commonly describe general anesthesia as going to sleep, there are significant differences between the states, with only a bit of overlap between the deepest states of sleep and the very lightest phases of anesthesia.

While sleeping usually involves moving through a series of phases, in general anesthesia, patients are typically taken to a specific phase or state and kept there during the surgery. This phase most closely resembles a coma.

more

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre6bs3wk-us-brain-anesthesia/

[Kceres]

1. You're hanging by a thread, really. It's as close to death as you can get without actually dying.

That's why anesthesiologists make the big bucks.

[murielm99]

2. When I had a hysterectomy, I was more afraid of

the anesthesia than the surgery. I still think it is a scary thing.

When I had cataract surgery, they explained that they would not put me under as deeply as they did for the hysterectomy. I remember things about both cataract surgeries. There was some discomfort, but they had reasons for not putting me under as deeply. I was not nearly as worried.

I hope I never have to have surgery again. It is the loss of control that worries me. I don't like the idea of my life in someone else's hands. These doctors are not God.

They do put some types of patients into drug induced comas. I am glad they are going to use this information for the good of patients.

[evirus]

3. Isn't that kind of the point?

yeesh

[no_hypocrisy]

4. That's why anesthesiologists are paid so much, they take a myriad of laboratory

tests, and they are legally obliged to be present at every phase of your surgery (until you wake up and your vitals are fine). The risk of death is always there.

[grasswire]

5. I hope to never have general anesthesia in my life

After working in an ICU as a unit secretary for six years, I vowed never to accept general anesthesia, and have had a couple of surgeries with locals only. It's that ominous to me. There was one nurse anesthetist that I would allow to put me under if I needed it, but he's prolly retired by now.

[Odin2005]

6. I've only had general anesthesia once, when I had my impacted wisdom teeth cut out.

It was amazing, one instant I was on the operating table and the next I'm coming to back in the recovery room.

[TexasProgresive]

7. How is this news?

Did some wet behind the ears researcher just figure out what has been common knowledge in medical circles for ages. Why do we continue to reinvent the wheel? As Mama always says, "Stupid is as stupid does!"