Misconceptions about risks of anesthesia could lead one out of four patients to postpone surgery according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists. They point out that advances in anesthesia over the past 25 years have drastically lowered the rate of anesthesia-related deaths. There are a couple of common misperceptions of general anesthesia. While similar to sleeping, there are distinct differences which allow control of pain, memory, and other surgical factors. Also, some confuse numbing a part of the body with being under general anesthesia.
(Did You Know? A person is about 40 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to die from anesthesia-related complications.)
A 6-year study of surgical outcomes from a Medicare database has determined that there is little difference in complication and mortality rates in states that allow CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist) only anesthesia and states that require physician supervised anesthesia.
Safety always has and will continue to be our first priority for our patients. We use a CRNA, Jenny, with almost 30 years of anesthesia experience. Our operating room is certified by the state of Ohio and national certifying organization AAAASF. The proximity to Bethesda North Hospital provides access to care beyond the operating room within minutes.