General anesthesia not only eliminates consciousness and the sensation of pain, but also the protective reflexes (e.g. swallowing and coughing reflex). There is therefore a risk of stomach contents entering the throat, being inhaled and causing pneumonia. Fasting means that the stomach is empty for the operation and the risk of stomach contents entering the throat is lower.

During the operation, your anesthetist will constantly check your vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation) and the depth of anesthesia, which he can adjust very precisely. You therefore do not need to worry about waking up during the examination or operation.

Pain after an operation cannot be completely avoided, but today it can be limited to a tolerable level. For this reason, painkillers are used that continue to work after the operation and thus make it possible to be pain-free.

Today, anesthesia is safer than ever before. Nevertheless, complications can occur in rare cases. The risk of this is determined less by the anesthesia itself and more by the patient's concomitant illnesses and the type of operation. For physically fit patients who have to undergo a limited procedure, the risk is extremely low.

Modern medicines cause nausea much less frequently than in the past. Nevertheless, even today we cannot guarantee that you will wake up without nausea. The occurrence of nausea depends on personal predisposition and the operation performed. However, we can take preventative measures if you have a known predisposition, which is why you should inform your anesthetist of this during the consultation.

To avoid nausea or vomiting, you should wait at least three hours before drinking and at least six hours before eating solid food. After operations on the abdominal organs, especially the intestines, more time is usually needed for recovery.

Just a few minutes after the end of the operation, you will be able to breathe properly again and we will be able to communicate with you. However, it often takes at least an hour, and often several hours, before you are awake enough for activities such as reading or watching television.