Modern surgery could not have existed without an anesthetic procedure. Most operations would simply not be possible, as patients would experience pain shock. With the development of medicine, ever new methods of introducing a person into deep sleep began to appear. Today there is inhalation and non-inhalation anesthesia. The second type is considered more modern. This procedure is performed in several ways, which allows you to choose the best solution for each individual patient. But this method has both supporters and opponents. Therefore, it will be useful to learn about all the pros and cons of such a procedure.
What is non-inhalation anesthesia: a characteristic
In this case, we are talking about one of the types of general anesthesia, due to which the patient undergoes surgery completely painlessly. Immersion in deep sleep is carried out by the introduction of drugs. They affect human brain cells. He is immersed in the so-called drug sleep.
If we consider the similarity of the non-inhalation and inhalation methods, then in this case both methods are general anesthesia. However, they have a lot of differences. First of all, there are differences in the means for non-inhalation anesthesia and inhalation. In addition, experts note a different level of immersion in medical sleep.
With a non-inhalation type procedure, the patient ceases to perceive pain faster. This is because the drug is injected directly into human blood. Therefore, it is much faster than falling into a dream. Although the inhalation method usually does not take too much time.
Also, among the differences between these methods, it is worth paying attention to the fact that when a person is injected into a vein, it is much easier to control his condition and sleep level. It is much easier for the doctor to understand whether the patient needs an additional dose of the drug or not.
The benefits of non-inhalation anesthesia
If we consider the advantages, then, first of all, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the patient does not experience unpleasant sensations. In this case, the introduction to sleep is carried out directly in the ward. This allows you to save a person from unnecessary stress.
Another advantage of non-inhalation anesthesia drugs is that they do not adversely affect the mucous membrane of the human oral cavity, as well as the upper respiratory tract. Therefore, the patient recovers much faster and does not experience such a serious malaise after surgery.
Also, experts note that the use of non-inhalation anesthesia allows you to get rid of the many side effects of the usual local anesthesia. This means that the patient will not have bouts of nausea, temporary amnesia and other unpleasant symptoms.
Another plus - there is no need to use bulky equipment, which is necessary with the inhalation method. All the doctor needs is a syringe and an intravenous infusion. This method is widely used in disaster medicine.
Cons of the method
If you consider the shortcomings of non-inhalation anesthesia, then many note that it will not work quickly to stop the effect of the drug. That is, if the operation performed much faster than the expected period, it is impossible to withdraw the patient from drug sleep prematurely. He will be unconscious until the drug ceases to act.
Another minus is that some reflex reactions in humans still persist. For example, if he suffered a severe injury. This can complicate the work of the surgeon. However, this is quite rare.
A more significant minus is that the selected drug can be reused only after a fairly long time. This is explained by the fact that the drugs used for non-inhalation anesthesia have high cumulative abilities. This means that the drug is excreted from the body for a long time. After inhalation anesthesia, this does not happen.
How does it work
Considering the characteristics of inhalation and non-inhalation anesthesia, it becomes obvious that both methods have pros and cons. However, a more modern method is still being studied, so it will soon be possible to get rid of the undesirable consequences of such anesthesia.
Already today, experts use those drugs that dissolve much better in lipids. This speeds up the action of the drug. It can have different effects depending on which particular barbiturate has been selected.
The quality of non-inhalation anesthesia also depends on how well it interacts with protein fractions. It is important to take into account the characteristics of the metabolic processes of the patient's body.
Types of Procedure
The classification of this method directly depends on the method that the doctor chose to administer the active drug. Based on this, non-inhalation anesthesia is:
- intravenous;
- intramuscularly;
- through the oral cavity;
- through the rectum;
- epidural.
It is worth considering all these methods in more detail.
Intravenous anesthesia
This method is considered the most popular today. The drug is injected into the patient's body by intravenous or drip route. Also, the injection can be placed on the neck or face of the patient during surgery.
Intubation is contraindicated for some patients, in this case non-inhalation anesthesia becomes the optimal solution. A similar method has fewer unpleasant consequences.
If we consider what drugs are used for such anesthesia, then, as a rule, they belong to the group of barbiturates. They differ in that in this case there is no so-called excitation phase. Therefore, the patient moves away from anesthesia much easier and without consequences.
Doctors also began to use drugs with ultrashort analgesic effects. For example, the propanidide preparation is distinguished by good reviews. It is believed that it does not have a toxic effect. Therefore, the risk that the patient does not develop any pathological reflexes after the operation is excluded.
Oral anesthesia
This method, in which drugs are administered through the patient’s oral cavity, is practically not used in modern medical practice. There are many reasons for this. For example, it’s more difficult for a doctor to determine which dose a patient needs. In addition, it is practically impossible to determine how quickly the anesthetic will be absorbed into the mucous membrane of the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. Also, patients often have complications in the work of the gastrointestinal tract after the procedure. Patients complain of frequent nausea and vomiting.
On the other hand, this technique has found application in pediatrics. For example, a similar method is used for small patients who have a panic fear during any medical procedure.
In this case, sodium oxybutyrate is usually used in a minimal dosage. Thanks to such gentle anesthesia, the patient falls into a rather shallow sleep. Nevertheless, this allows us to provide him with assistance at the proper level. However, deep medical sleep is out of the question.
Rectal anesthesia
This procedure is also called rectal anesthesia. Barbiturates are also used for this method. As a rule, doctors use basic anesthesia based on Narcolan. However, it is worth considering that this tool is considered extremely aggressive. Even with a slight overdose, the patient may stop breathing, which can lead to the most sad outcome. Therefore, it is not surprising that such a technique is used extremely rarely and is gradually abandoned.
However, there are supporters of this method. They explain this by the fact that rectal anesthesia allows you to achieve the most rapid effect due to the fact that the drug is absorbed faster into the blood. This method is not traumatic and is suitable for patients who are allergic to medications.
Epidural method
This type of anesthesia involves the use of certain substances of the narcotic type. The tool is injected into the intervertebral space of the patient, closer to the lumbar region, and more precisely between 3 and 4 vertebrae. A similar method is used only if it is a surgical intervention for problems with the pelvic organs. This anesthesia is also used in urology. For example, if the operation will be performed on the genitals of the patient. It is also used for damage to the limbs. But for the amputation of the legs, this method of anesthesia is completely unsuitable.
The active drug substance is introduced into the patient's body using a special catheter, in a jet manner. The doctor must act very carefully and slowly.
A similar method also did not find wide application. However, it is suitable for local anesthesia.
Regardless of the method of anesthesia, the doctor must make sure that the patient will undergo such an introduction to sleep. Often people are allergic to certain drugs. Therefore, it is preliminarily important to carry out all the necessary studies and tests.