About the Department
The prospect of undergoing surgery can be an additional source of fear for patients. Many postpone elective surgeries due to this anxiety. Is this fear truly justified? Learn the facts and make your own decision. The term "narkoz" originates from German and is commonly used to refer to general anesthesia. While it is often considered synonymous with anesthesia, it actually refers to a state of significant numbness with markedly reduced sensitivity without complete loss of consciousness.
Anesthesia, a term first used by the Greeks, refers to the temporary loss of sensation or feeling. In the past, just as surgeries were performed by barbers, anesthesia was administered in hospitals by untrained attendants known as "narkozcu" until thirty to forty years ago. A piece of cotton would be placed over the patient’s mouth and nose, and anesthetic agents (ether/chloroform) were applied to induce anesthesia. Only limited surgeries were possible under these conditions, and anesthesia-related deaths were common. Since the early 1950s, anesthesia science in our country has advanced significantly in parallel with global developments.
In Turkey, anesthesia practices began developing around the 1850s. After the 1950s, anesthesia became a medical specialty, and by law, only qualified physicians could perform it. Doctors who completed a six-year medical faculty program and passed a specialty examination receive at least four years of training in medical faculties and Ministry training hospitals, earning a certificate as "Specialist in Anesthesiology and Reanimation."
Note: Anesthesiologists prefer not to be referred to as “narkozcu,” which recalls the untrained attendants of the past. They prefer the terms "Anesthesiology Specialist" or "Anesthesiologist." With advances in anesthesia, patients are protected from the harmful effects of surgery, and surgeons can perform longer and more complex procedures. Side Effects: After anesthesia, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, headache, and shivering may occur. These are unwanted but generally temporary effects.
Anesthesia Risk
All anesthesia and surgical procedures carry certain risks. The extent of these risks depends on the type of surgery, the patient’s health status, and the technical equipment of the anesthesia and operating rooms. The healthier the patient and the less vital organs are affected, the lower the risk. If possible, patients should be examined by the anesthesiologist before or immediately upon hospital admission.
During the examination, the anesthesiologist evaluates the patient’s vital functions, reviews their medical history, and may order laboratory tests. Consultations with relevant medical branches (respiratory, cardiology, neurology, pediatrics, etc.) are performed based on complaints and past illnesses. Medications, habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs), and possible allergies are determined to assess the patient’s overall condition.
After this evaluation, the anesthesiologist discusses the procedure with the surgeon, plans all stages of surgery, and identifies potential anesthesia-related risks. The decision on whether a patient can undergo anesthesia does not have absolute rules. In life-saving surgeries, the question is not whether anesthesia can be applied, but how it can be administered in the safest and most appropriate manner. Risk assessment also considers the experience of the anesthesia and surgical team, available equipment and medications, urgency, and nature of the procedure. The anesthesiologist determines this risk.
Other medical branches (internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, pediatrics, etc.) play an important role in identifying internal medical issues and guiding anesthesia. Thanks to advances in pharmaceuticals and technology over the last 25 years, anesthesia-related deaths have dramatically decreased and are now estimated to occur in approximately 1 in 200,000 surgeries.
Pre-Anesthesia Allergy Test
Allergy tests are not routinely performed. During anesthesia, various medications (sometimes up to 10) may be used. Testing each separately is impractical and unnecessary. Instead, if the patient has a history of allergic reactions to certain medications from previous surgeries or treatments, those medications and their derivatives are avoided whenever possible.
Preoperative Instructions for Patients
Once the surgery is scheduled, your surgeon will review your existing conditions, medications, and habits to assess anesthesia and surgical risks. Provide complete and accurate answers. The anesthesiologist will ask similar questions. Certain medications must be stopped before surgery, while others must be continued until the morning of the operation. Make sure you know exactly which medications to take or stop and request guidance from your doctor.
Showering the night before or the morning of surgery, shaving for men, and removing accessible body hair can help prevent postoperative infections. Patients should fast at least eight hours before anesthesia. For children, fasting may be six hours, and for infants, three to four hours. In emergency surgeries, anesthesia is administered with precautions even if the patient has not fasted.