Is anesthesia safe?

Yes: For most people. The more serious, chronic health problems one has, the higher the risk.

Very: When performed by a properly trained physician in an appropriate setting.

Generally, Yes!: Since the widespread adoption by anesthesiologists of (1) pulse oximetry, (2) end-tidal co2 monitoring, (3) end-tidal anesthetic gas monitoring (4) mlaeps (5) and bis (bispectral monitoring of eeg signals) anesthesia has become exponentially safer, even for elderly, chronically ill, and debilitated patients than it was even 20 years ago!

Safety: Safety of anesthesia is determined by proper monitoring, qualifications and abilities of the provider and patients medical problems. Due to the major advancement in monitoring, improved safety profile of medications and advanced training of anesthesiologist, anesthesia became very safe.

Yes: Modern anesthesia is very safe. I tell my patients that it is more dangerous to drive from the hospital to have the surgery than to get an anesthetic. The side effects that most patients experience revolve around nausea and vomiting in the immediate post-operative period.