Which type of anesthesia involves the patient being completely unconscious?

General anesthesia is the type of anesthesia that involves the patient being completely unconscious. This form of anesthesia is used for surgical procedures that require the patient to be entirely unaware and unresponsive during the operation. It works by using a combination of medications that affect the entire body, inducing a state of deep sleep where the patient has no awareness of their surroundings, is unable to move, and typically does not experience pain.

In contrast, local anesthesia affects a small, specific area of the body and allows the patient to remain awake and aware while feeling no pain in the targeted region. Regional anesthesia, such as an epidural or spinal block, numbs larger areas of the body, but the patient can still be conscious. Conscious sedation provides relaxation and pain relief, but patients remain awake and can respond to instructions, creating a state that is distinctly different from the complete unconsciousness associated with general anesthesia.