Medical context
General anesthesia
Estimated population-level acute risk associated with a surgical procedure under general anesthesia in a developed-world healthcare setting.
Base risk estimate
5 micromorts per procedures
Population-level estimate. Not a personal prediction.
Assumptions
Assumes a healthy adult patient (ASA Class I–II) undergoing an elective routine procedure in a well-resourced healthcare facility in a developed country.
Limitations
Medical risk varies substantially by patient health status, procedure type, clinician skill, facility quality, and comorbidities. This estimate is not appropriate as personal medical guidance. Always discuss procedure-specific risks with a qualified clinician.
Source notes
Bainbridge et al. (Lancet 2012) systematic review reported perioperative anesthesia-attributable mortality of 0.4–34 per million cases in developed countries. The estimate of ~5 micromorts reflects broadly cited figures for healthy adults (ASA Class I–II) as discussed in Spiegelhalter D, The Norm Chronicles (2013).
Last reviewed
5/31/2024