Administration of General Anesthesia - Introduction

The primary goal of general anesthesia is to provide amnesia, hypnosis, analgesia, and immobility while surgical procedures are performed. In this chapter, we will review common indications for general anesthesia and considerations to be taken in the perioperative setting. We will summarize relevant aspects of intraoperative management of patients undergoing general anesthesia, including induction, airway management, and maintenance of general anesthesia. Finally, we will focus on side effects related to the administration of general anesthesia, both in the intraoperative and postoperative periods.