Anesthesia Link to Post-Surgery Pain

Certain general anesthesia drugs may increase
postoperative
pain , and scientists may have discovered how that happens.

Researchers at Georgetown University report that some general anesthesia
drugs may activate pain receptors outside the brain and spinal cord, leading to
greater postoperative pain.

The scientists studied those anesthesia drugs in test tubes and in mice and
found that the drugs boosted activity in a pain receptor called TRPA1, which
could lead to greater sensation of pain.

"The choice of anesthetic appears to be an important determinant of
post-operative pain," Gerard Ahern, PhD, says in a news release. "We
hope these findings are ultimately helpful in providing more comfort to
patients."

The study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences.

By Miranda Hitti
Reviewed by Louise Chang
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