General anesthesia

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Why it's done

By Mayo Clinic staff

Other forms of anesthesia may provide light sedation or use injections to numb a region of your body selectively. Your doctor may recommend general anesthesia for procedures that:

  • Take a long time
  • Affect your breathing, such as chest or upper abdomen surgery
  • Require you to be in an uncomfortable position during the surgery

MY00100

June 27, 2008

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