Anesthesia Turns Riskier
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Earlier this month, one patient died, while another remains in critical condition after undergoing general anesthesia, alerting people planning for surgery including many waiting for plastic surgery.
A 20-year-old man, identified only by Yoon, while undergoing chin articulation surgery at a dental clinic was taken to hospital after falling unconscious while under general anesthesia on Jan. 9. He is still in a critical condition. A woman identified as Hwang, 29, who was getting prepared for a facial surgery, died from heart failure while she was under anesthesia on Jan. 4.
The lack of adequate medical devices and specialized anesthetists is the key reasons for these deadly medical accidents, medical experts say. They are doing their best to ensure the safety of the patients, but it appears that the situation needs to be remedied.
The risks of anesthesia can increase for many reasons. Many clinics do not have adequate staff and medical equipment needed when a patient's condition becomes critical, for instance heart failure or an allergic reaction. Some surgeries, especially in the case of chin articulation and facial surgery, can also result in severe blood loss and if not treated properly, the outcome can be fatal.
``It is true that there is not enough equipment available in case of emergencies at small medical centers,'' a surgeon who refused to be identified told The Korea Times. He said that small medical centers cannot afford expensive equipment and they usually send critical patients to larger hospitals for more complex treatment.
Due to the great expense of having full time anesthetists on board, smaller clinics cannot hire them permanently. Thus, many clinics rely on free-lancing anesthetists whenever needed.
Cook Kwang-sik, a plastic surgeon and member of The Korean Association of Clinical Plastic Surgeons, stressed the importance of surgeons' efforts and also the cooperation of patients.
``More medical devices and specialized surgeons are indeed essential, but another crucial factor would be the patient's condition. Checking medical records, current health, allergies and other possible threats are extremely important especially when planning surgery requiring anesthesia,'' Cook said.