General anesthesia for dementia
General anesthesia is always associated with an increased risk in dementia patients. This already becomes apparent during the planning of the anaesthesia, as the affected persons cannot make any reliable statements about their previous illnesses and medication. In addition, rules such as the fasting period before anesthesia are difficult to implement for these patients.
Persons with dementia suffer above-average numbers from a passageway syndrome. This is an increased state of confusion after anaesthesia, which decreases within a few days. In some cases, an increase in dementia after surgery is also reported.
Costs
For major operations requiring general anesthesia, general anesthesia is covered by all health insurance companies. For operations where a general anesthesia is not absolutely necessary, it must be partially paid by the patient. This includes wisdom tooth operations, for example.In this case, general anesthesia costs about 250€ for the first hour and about 50€ for each additional half hour. In addition to this, a hospital stay may be necessary, which would not be necessary with local anesthesia.
History of anaesthesia
Anaesthetics have been used for hundreds of years. The first anaesthetics were gases which were administered to the test persons. They were difficult to control and caused many deaths.
The most famous anaesthetic in history was ether, which was used in 1846. Around 1869, laughing gas was used. The use of anaesthetics in the form of intravenously administered drugs first came into effect in the middle of the 19th century. Anaesthetics are constantly being further developed to achieve even better controllability and a reduction in side effects for the patient.
Summary
General anesthesia is a procedure in which the consciousness of the patient, as well as the sensation of pain and the control of muscle movements are suspended. General anesthesia is always used when a major surgical procedure has to be performed or when the patient has to be put into an artificial deep sleep due to the severity of his or her illness in order to be treated better. Before the anaesthetic is administered, the patient is informed and educated about the procedure and possible risks and side effects.
Usually, the anaesthetic induction begins the following day for the fasting patient. First of all, he has to breathe oxygen through a mask in order to saturate the blood. Then he is given a sleep-inducing drug and a muscle relaxant drug via a venous access.
With the effect of these drugs, the patient’s ability to breathe on his own disappears. He is intubated and supplied by a ventilator. In addition, he receives a painkiller through the vein.
All drugs are injected fully automatically at regular intervals with a pump. The vital signs and vital functions are permanently monitored during the procedure. If all medications are administered via the veins, this is called total intravenous anesthesia (TIA).
It is also possible to administer the sleep-inducing medication in the form of gas during the procedure. Once the surgical procedure is finished, the medication administered is throttled back. First the anaesthetic is reduced, then the muscle-relaxing medication after the end of the operation.
Once the patient regains his or her ability to breathe, he or she is extubated and taken to a recovery room under supervision. General anesthesia has become low-risk today. Nausea is often complained of, aspirations are occasional. The life-threatening malignant hyperthermia is a rarity in anesthesia today.