Skip to main content
Patient journey

Glossary term

Anaesthesia

Reference only — not medical advice. See disclaimer.

The medical practice of inducing controlled, reversible loss of sensation or consciousness to enable surgery and other invasive procedures. Anaesthesia is delivered by an anaesthetist (anesthesiologist) using one or more agents — local, regional, sedation, or general — depending on the procedure and the patient.

Related procedures

← All glossary termsProcedures →Methodology →