Risks associated with general anaesthesia

Everyone is different and it is not possible to know who will experience a side effect or risk. Some are more likely in people who have existing health conditions or need certain operations.

The numbers below are averages from research studies. The people in the studies usually had routine surgery, were a healthy weight and did not have specific health conditions.

You can find out about the research we used in our Anaesthesia and risk evidence table.

Your risks might be higher or lower than these numbers. Your anaesthetist will discuss with you the risks that are more likely, or significant, for you.

You can find more information about the different types of anaesthesia from our Patient information leaflets and video resources webpage.

Download the risk infographic in PDF.

Read our leaflets about specific risks at the bottom of the page.