Patient Information Leaflets

Information Leaflets

A series of guides to help you prepare for your anaesthetic – developed jointly by the Royal College and the Association of Anaesthetists (AAGBI). They give general guidance and discuss specific aspects of care.

• You and your anaesthetic – basic information to help you prepare for your anaesthetic.  
• Anaesthesia explained – provides more information about anaesthesia, and suggests how to find out more. 
• Spinal anaesthetics
• Anaesthesia for hip and knee replacement
• Epidurals for pain relief after surgery
• Headache after epidural or spinal anaesthetics
• Tonsillectomy
• Eye surgery under local anaesthetic
• Aortic surgery

See all leaflets in the series

Other formats for downloading

Information for Teenagers, Children and Parents

Information for children of different ages and circumstances.

Childrens section homepage

• Young children – Rees Bear
• Older children – Davy the Detective
• Sedation for children
• Children with learning difficulties
• Teenagers and young adults
• Young person's web guide

The Risks of Anaesthesia

Information about specific risks, concerns and complications of anaesthesia.

We have written a guide to Risks and Probability designed to be read in conjunction with this series.

Risks in Perspective

The common and serious risks

• Feeling Sick
• Sore Throat
• Shivering
• Damage to teeth, lips and tongue
• Damage to the eye during general anaesthesia
• Post-operative chest infections
• Becoming confused after an operation
• Awareness during general anaesthesia
• Serious allergy to anaesthetics
• Nerve damage after anaesthetics
• Nerve damage after epidurals and spinals
• Nerve damage after nerve block
• Equipment failure
• Death or brain damage

See all leaflets in the series