Anaesthetics may enhance pain

According to a newspaper, scientists carried out a laboratory study in mice and discovered that although general anaesthetics suppress the central nervous system and make people unaware of pain during surgery, some general anaesthetics can cause inflammation in other parts of the body causing some patients high levels of pain when they wake up.

The study has identified one protein that is associated with the activation of pain pathways by some general anaesthetics and this knowledge may be helpful to develop better general anaesthetics in the long term.

Source: "General anesthetics activate a nociceptive ion channel to enhance pain and inflammation". Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2008; Jun 23 [Epub ahead of print]