The Biochemical Impact of Surgery and Anesthesia

Abstract

General anesthesia has been considered by some medical historians as one of the most important contributions to modern medicine second to perhaps the concept of antiseptic medicine and hygiene. The first historical mention of a deep unnatural sleep so that surgery can take place can be found in the old testiment, “So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh.” However, when inhalational anesthesia was administered for the first time in 1846, it was discovered that there were potential dangerous side affects that could lead to death and potentially complicate surgical outcome. It was also postulated that it could “poison” the blood in unforeseen ways. Today, medical practitioners and patients know that anesthesia provides the required level of comfort and protection necessary to carry out invasive medical procedures.