In Germany, around ten million surgeries are performed under anesthesia each year. Anesthesia is intended to eliminate the consciousness and pain perception of patients during a procedure, so that the patient only wakes up once the surgery is over. However, about 10,000 patients in Germany wake up during the operation despite being under anesthesia, and more than 40,000 Germans die annually while under anesthesia - a trend that is on the rise. This book provides an overview of anesthesia.