After-effects of intubation anesthesia
A possible complication after intubation anesthesia is respiratory depression due to opiate overhang. If too much of the strong painkiller is administered during the anaesthesia, breathing may stop even after the anaesthesia or the patient may breathe slowly and deeply. This leads to so-called command breathing – the patient must be reminded to breathe again and again.
Therefore, all patients are monitored in the recovery room after general anesthesia. In the worst case, the patient has to be intubated and ventilated again. Due to nausea and reduced protective reflexes, swallowing of stomach contents can also occur after the operation. Patients are therefore always placed in a high position after the anaesthesia. Due to the drugs administered or circulatory fluctuations during anesthesia, older patients in particular may experience confusion and sometimes aggressive behavior (delirium, continuity syndrome) after anesthesia.
These drugs are used
Intubation anesthesia has three functions: the elimination of pain, consciousness and muscle strength. A strong analgesic is administered first – strong opiates are always used, such as sufentanil (1000 times stronger than morphine) or fentanyl (100 times stronger than morphine). Next, a narcotic (“sleeping pill”) is injected.
The most common is Propofol, a white liquid that makes you fall asleep in a few seconds. Other options are thiopental, etomidate or benzodiazepines. Inhaled anesthetic gases such as sevoflurane or desflurane can be used to maintain anesthesia, or work can continue with Propofol.
To switch off muscle strength, muscle relaxants such as cisatracurium, mivacurium, rocuronium or succinylcholine are used. Depending on how quickly the effect is to occur or how long the procedure is planned, different medications must be used. To switch off the muscle strength muscle relaxants such as cisatracurium, mivacurium, rocuronium or succinylcholine are used. Depending on how quickly the effect should occur or how long the procedure is planned, different medications must be used.
Is intubation anesthesia possible despite coughing/snuffing?
If the patient is actually healthy, has no pre-existing cardiovascular or pulmonary disease and only has a mild cough/snore without fever, intubation anesthesia can still be considered. Nevertheless, it is possible that the symptoms will worsen after the anaesthetic. The intervention puts an additional strain on the immune system, which is not able to defend itself against pathogens.
However, if there is a strong cough or coughing with sputum, as well as a cold with yellowish secretion or fever, the operation should be postponed if possible. Intubation anesthesia is a heavy strain on the body and a strong immune system is also important for healing after the operation.
