Home > Medical > Anaesthesia Anaesthesia All sections in Anaesthesia » About Anaesthesia » Common post-operative problems » Conscious Sedation » FAQs » Health Tips » More on Anaesthesia » Obstetric Anaesthesia » Other » Real-life Story » The Equipment » The General Anaesthetic » The Journey » The Team Schizophrenics may fare worse after surgery Surgical patients with schizophrenia have more postoperative complications and a nearly three-fold higher risk of 30-day mortality than patients without mental disorders. Anaesthesia causes language problems Anaesthesia in infancy tied to learning problems Anaesthesia closer to coma than sleep See All Anaesthesia News » What is Anaesthesia? 50 years ago, operations had to be performed on conscious patients. Fortunately, we now have anaesthetics to obliterate the pain. The part of the body that controls consciousness, feeling, pain and movement is the nervous system. Anaesthesia involves the introduction of chemical substances called anaesthetics into the body, and these numb that part of the nervous system to which they are applied. Take Action Ask CyberDoc » Talk Body Talk forum » Quiz Are you addicted to painkillers? » Follow Health24 on Twitter » Become an organ donor Medicines that changed history advertisement About anaesthesia Types of anaesthesia and your choice Local anaesthesia Is anaesthesia safe? Conscious sedation See All About anaesthesia » Conscious sedation Conscious sedation has its risks What is conscious sedation? See All Conscious sedation » Health tips The hottest anaesthetic news yet Anaesthesia fit? See All Health tips » Obstetric anaesthesia Anaesthesia shock: fatal decisions Spinal anaesthesia risks Maternal deaths anaesthesia related South Africa fails to save mothers See All Obstetric anaesthesia » Real-life story Tell us your story See All Real-life story » The general anaesthetic Your dignity The recovery room The general anaesthetic Maintaining anaesthesia See All The general anaesthetic » The team An anaesthetist's training Who is in the team? See All The team » Common post-operative problems Sleepiness Muscle pains Depression Nausea and vomiting See All Common post-operative problems » FAQs Why does a person experience muscle pains after an operation? Why is starvation important? What is conscious sedation? What does the anaesthetist do during the operation? See All FAQs » More on anaesthesia Anaesthesia related deaths in kids Your account Problems with your anaesthesiologist? Day clinics and outpatient anaesthesia See All More on anaesthesia » Other Herbal medicines + surgery = risky Awake under the knife The deepest sleep See All Other » The equipment The equipment - the gas delivery system The equipment - the anaesthetic circuit The equipment - the ventilator The equipment - the monitor screen See All The equipment » The journey Preoperative preparation Preparations in theatre See All The journey » From our sponsors There are more than 200 different viruses which can cause a cold A clinically proven skin care range is now available Medihelp’s regional information sessions Superior comfort and support