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Definition of General anesthesia
Medically reviewed by Min Clinic Staff | Updated: January 2026
General anesthesia: a combination of medications administered by a physician anesthesiologist that put patients in a sleep-like state before surgery. While under general anesthesia, a patient is unconscious and feels no pain. General anesthesia is usually given through a mask or intravenously (IV) by a needle placed in a vein, and an anesthesiologist monitors heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and other vital signs.