The good news is that anesthesia-related deaths have decreased, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Over the past two decades, deaths have decreased from two in every 10,000 patients to one per 200,000 to 300,000 patients. That’s in stark contrast to previous generations. In the 1940s, 640 people died for every 1 million who underwent an operation.

Today, as the ASA puts it, you’re more likely to be hit by lightning than to die from an anesthesia complication.

The Dangers of Anesthesia

That’s not to minimize the risks. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences says general anesthetics are among the most dangerous drugs doctors use. The reason deaths have declined is that the modern methods used to sedate patients are much shorter-acting than previous medications, thus decreasing the potential for side effects. And with new devices and technologies that can monitor blood pressure, oxygen levels, breathing patterns and heart rates, anesthesiologists can quickly take measures to stop any potential problems.

Despite increased safety, undergoing general anesthesia is still a traumatic experience for some people. The biggest fear is never waking up. Perhaps that’s a valid concern, because even with advances in medicine and the increasing safety of the procedure, it’s still unknown how anesthetics actually work. Most believe that the drugs target specific nerve cell molecules that send signals to the brain. Some believe different drugs target different molecules. But again, there is no certainty, and anesthetics have been around since 1846.