Page "Anesthetic" Paragraph 43

While opioids can produce unconsciousness, they do so unreliably and with significant side effects.

So, while they are rarely used to induce anesthesia, they are frequently used along with other agents such as intravenous non-opioid anesthetics or inhalational anesthetics.

Furthermore, they are used to relieve pain of patients before, during, or after surgery.

The following opioids have short onset and duration of action and are frequently used during general anesthesia: