General Anesthesia is defined as a state of controlled loss of sensation or awareness. The classic anesthetic triad encompasses three main components:
- Hypnosis:
- This refers to the induced state of unconsciousness during anesthesia, ensuring that the patient is not aware of the procedure.
- Includes drugs like propofol (IV), and sevofluorane (inhaled).
- This refers to the induced state of unconsciousness during anesthesia, ensuring that the patient is not aware of the procedure.
- Muscle Relaxation:
- Anesthesia induces widespread skeletal muscle relaxation, which facilitates surgical access and helps prevent involuntary movements.
- Includes drugs like succinylcholine and rocuronium.
- Anesthesia induces widespread skeletal muscle relaxation, which facilitates surgical access and helps prevent involuntary movements.
- Analgesia:
- This is the provision of pain relief. Effective analgesia minimizes intraoperative pain (thereby reducing the risk of patient movement or awareness) and also eases postoperative pain, aiding in a smoother recovery.
- Includes drugs like morphine and fentanyl.
- This is the provision of pain relief. Effective analgesia minimizes intraoperative pain (thereby reducing the risk of patient movement or awareness) and also eases postoperative pain, aiding in a smoother recovery.
📚 References
1️⃣ Miller RD. Miller’s Anesthesia. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020.
2️⃣ Morgan GE, Mikhail MS, Murray MJ. Morgan & Mikhail’s Clinical Anesthesiology. 6th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2018.
3️⃣ Steiner J. Anesthesia Made Easy: The Survival Guide to Make Your First Anesthesia Rotation a Success. 2nd ed. Independently Published; 2019.