ARE THEY RISKY?

Overall, they are very safe, with death resulting from anaesthesia in roughly one in every 100,000 to 200,000 cases. Possible negative outcomes include heart attack, pneumonia and stroke. There’s a greater chance of complications if you:

• Tend to suffer from sleep apnoea

• Are prone to seizures

• Have an existing heart, kidney or lung condition

• Are an alcoholic or smoker

• Have high blood pressure

• Take medication that can increase the risk of bleeding, such as aspirin

• Have diabetes or are overweight or obese.