ANESTHESIA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does anesthesia mean? 

• ANESTHESIA (noun)
  The noun ANESTHESIA has 1 sense:

1. loss of bodily sensation with or without loss of consciousness

  Familiarity information: ANESTHESIA used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ANESTHESIA (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Loss of bodily sensation with or without loss of consciousness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

anaesthesia; anesthesia

Hypernyms ("anesthesia" is a kind of...):

physical condition; physiological condition; physiological state (the condition or state of the body or bodily functions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "anesthesia"):

cryoanaesthesia; cryoanesthesia (insensibility resulting from cold)

general anaesthesia; general anesthesia (a state of total unconsciousness resulting from anesthetic drugs (as for a major surgical operation))

local anaesthesia; local anesthesia (loss of sensation in a small area of the body (as when a local anesthetic is injected for a tooth extraction))

block anaesthesia; block anesthesia; conduction anaesthesia; conduction anesthesia; nerve block anaesthesia; nerve block anesthesia (anesthesia of an area supplied by a nerve; produced by an anesthetic agent applied to the nerve)

regional anaesthesia; regional anesthesia (loss of sensation in a region of the body produced by application of an anesthetic agent to all the nerves supplying that region (as when an epidural anesthetic is administered to the pelvic region during childbirth))

topical anaesthesia; topical anesthesia (loss of sensation confined to the skin or mucous surfaces (as when benzocaine or Lidocaine is applied to the surface))

Derivation:

anesthetic (characterized by insensibility)

anesthetist (a specialist who administers an anesthetic to a patient before he is treated)

 Context examples 

A drug used to prevent nausea and vomiting in patients who receive anesthesia before surgery.

(Droperidol, NCI Dictionary)

It is also used as a sedative before surgery, to help with anesthesia during surgery, during labor, and to treat anxiety caused by some medical conditions.

(Numorphan, NCI Dictionary)

The practice of piercing specific points on the body with very thin sterile needles in order to relieve pain or induce regional anesthesia.

(Acupuncture Therapy, NCI Thesaurus)

In an anesthesia machine, the pathway by which a gaseous anesthetic agent and oxygen are delivered to the patient and carbon dioxide is removed.

(Breathing Circuit Device Component, NCI Thesaurus)

Nursing care of the patient under anesthesia and in the immediate post-anesthesia period.

(Perianesthesia Nursing, NCI Thesaurus)

Tell them if you have any allergies or bad reactions to anesthesia.

(Patient Safety, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)

A surgical procedure used to remove moles, cysts, skin cancer, and other skin growths using local anesthesia.

(Excisional skin surgery, NCI Dictionary)

An open biopsy may be done in the doctor’s office or in the hospital, and may use local anesthesia or general anesthesia.

(Open biopsy, NCI Dictionary)

Although the exact mechanism of action is unknown, halothane provides relatively rapid induction of anesthesia by depressing the central nervous system, thereby producing a reversible loss of consciousness and sensation.

(Halothane, NCI Thesaurus)

General anesthesia keeps patients from feeling pain during surgery or other procedures.

(General anesthesia, NCI Dictionary)