What are the potential harms of general anesthesia on children's bodies?
Disease description:
After my daughter was born, her health has not been very good, and she requires several surgeries to maintain her condition. Some of these surgeries require general anesthesia. I'm very concerned about potential effects on her body. Doctor, what are the risks of general anesthesia for young children?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng
Although general anesthesia is a common practice in pediatric surgery, it may also pose a series of physiological and behavioral risks.
Inappropriate preoperative feeding or emergency surgeries that do not allow sufficient fasting time may lead to regurgitation and aspiration during general anesthesia. After the effects of general anesthetics wear off, children may experience symptoms such as nausea and vomiting due to drug irritation. Following general anesthesia, temporary memory impairment may occur due to the anesthetic's blockade of pain signal transmission; this typically resolves gradually as the drugs are metabolized.
Parents and healthcare providers should be aware of the potential adverse effects of general anesthesia. Close monitoring of the child's vital signs and behavior after surgery is essential, and any abnormalities should prompt immediate medical evaluation at a hospital.
