SURGERY AND ANESTHESIA DOES CAUSE MEMORY LOSS,INFORM PATIENTS BY CONSENT TO AVOID LITIGATION

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People who are put under general anesthesia may wind up with memory and cognitive deficits for days or weeks after surgery.In one study, scientists gave mice a common anesthetic, and found the drug caused memory impairments that lasted up to a week.Neurosurgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy can all have an effect on the brain that may, in turn, affect memory. Again, the effects of treatment will vary from person to person. Surgery on the brain may cause some temporary swelling which may affect cognition in general, including memory.

        After Anaesthesia,Most people are awake in the recovery room immediately after an operation but remain groggy for a few hours afterward.Our body will take up to a week to completely eliminate the medicines from our system but most people will not notice much effect after about 24 hours.Why anesthetics cause prolonged memory loss is a big question? Until now, scientists haven't understood why about a third of patients who undergo anesthesia and surgery experience some kind of cognitive impairment such as memory loss  at hospital discharge. One-tenth of patients still suffer cognitive impairments three months later.Of course dreaming isn't the only unusual thing that happens under general anesthesia. One might experience hallucinations or “intraoperative awareness” — a state of paralysis during which we see ourself undergoing surgery but are unable to move or speak.

             Researchers at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine have shown why anesthetics can cause long-term memory loss, a discovery that can have serious implications for post-operative patients.Anesthetics activate memory-loss receptors in the brain, ensuring that patients don't remember traumatic events during surgery. Professor Beverley Orser and her team found that the activity of memory loss receptors remains high long after the drugs have left the patient's system, sometimes for days on end."There's a lot going on after surgery, which can alter our ability to think clearly. Loss of sleep, new environments and medications can all impact a patient's mental function. Anesthetics likely compound these issues," says Orser.

            She recommends that physicians and family members should be informed in writing and take consent regarding such effects of surgery and anaesthesia  on memory to avoid day by day increasing litigations against Doctors and hospitals.Doctors should carefully monitor patients after surgery for any signs of memory loss. "Patients should write everything down or have a second pair of ears with them after surgery. For high-risk groups, physicians need to inform patients about these possible side effects and help manage the impact on recovery and overall health," says Orser.

    The likelihood of a patient experiencing cognitive impairment depends on their age, health, type of surgery and the anesthetic, with chances increasing for more intricate procedures. The incidence is highest in the elderly or those undergoing major surgery such as cardiopulmonary bypass."Anesthetics don't put you to sleep -- they induce a pharmacological coma. We shouldn't take these drugs lightly," Prof. Orser cautions.