Health Services

Anesthesiology is the practice of medicine devoted to relieving patients’ pain and keeping them stable during surgery. Anesthesiologists are perioperative physicians. This means that they care for patients throughout the surgical experience, from the preoperative visit to discharge following surgery. Great River Medical Center anesthesiologists are dedicated to making your surgical experience as safe and comfortable as possible.

Before your surgery, your anesthesiologist will meet with you, either during the preoperative visit or immediately before the procedure. During this visit, your anesthesiologist will evaluate your medical condition, discuss your medical history and ask about any medications you have been taking. If you have a medical condition such as diabetes, hiatal hernia, asthma, high blood pressure, heart problems or arthritis, your anesthesiologist must be alerted to these conditions. Your anesthesiologist also will want to know about your experiences with anesthesia and any concerns you may have. Based on your condition, history, surgical requirements and personal preferences, your anesthesiologist will determine your anesthetic needs.

Before surgery

Generally, you will not be allowed to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery. You should take medications for hypertension or heart problems the morning of surgery with sips of water. Your anesthesiologist or your surgeon’s office will give you specific instructions. On the day of your surgery, your anesthesiologist will review your medical history and test results and answer any questions you may have. Be prepared to discuss any unusual experiences that you may have had with anesthesia.

During surgery

The anesthesiologist administers anesthesia to control pain and your level of unconsciousness, and monitors your vital body functions such as breathing, heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure and body temperature. The anesthesiologist must continually evaluate your body’s response to the surgery and make medical decisions to keep you stable and safe during the procedure.

Types of anesthesia

You will receive one of the following types of anesthesia:

• General anesthesia – While under general anesthesia, you are asleep and are completely unaware of the surgical procedure. Based on your medical history and condition, the anesthesiologist will select the general anesthetic drugs that will work best for you. Some of these drugs are vapors inhaled through a breathing mask, while others are introduced intravenously. While you are unconscious, the anesthesiologist will carefully monitor your bodily functions.
• Regional anesthesia – With this type of anesthesia, the anesthesiologist injects medication to numb the area of your body requiring surgery. You may remain awake or you may be given a sedative. Spinal and epidural anesthesia are frequently used for surgeries involving areas below the waist, such as hernia repair, prostate and pelvic operations, and surgery on the legs and hips. This form of anesthesia is safer than general anesthesia for some surgical procedures.
  
  An epidural, used frequently during childbirth, is a type of regional anesthetic. It is used to block pain during labor and delivery, including Cesarean sections, but the patient remains awake and comfortable throughout the delivery. An epidural block is given in the lower back. The anesthesiologist inserts a special needle into the epidural space, located just outside the spinal sac. A small catheter is inserted through the needle. Once it is in place, the needle is removed, and medicine is administered through the catheter. Medicine can be administered through the catheter for as long it is needed. Throughout labor, your progress and condition will be continually monitored, and the anesthesiologist will adjust the medications accordingly.
• Local anesthesia – Local anesthetic is injected into the skin and tissues by your surgeon to temporarily numb a surgical site. Your anesthesiologist will be present to give sedative medications, monitor your vital signs and address any medical problems you may have. If you have pain or your surgery becomes complicated, general anesthesia then can be started. If your surgery is a very simple procedure, however, you will be completely awake and no anesthesiologist will be present.

After surgery

After your surgery is completed, your anesthesiologist continues to be responsible for your care in the Postanesthesia Unit (recovery room). The anesthesiologist directs registered nurses who monitor your condition and vital signs as the effects of the anesthetic wear off.

Different medications may be given to reverse the effects of medications given previously. Your anesthesiologist can offer a variety of techniques to reduce or eliminate postoperative surgical pain, including epidural, caudal, axillary and femoral nerve blocks. Commonly, an epidural catheter can be kept in place for several days following lung, colon or lower-extremity surgery. Your surgeon also may order patient-controlled intravenous anesthesia. Before surgery, you and your anesthesiologist can discuss strategies to maximize your postoperative comfort.

Risks and side effects

Serious side effects from anesthesia are extremely rare, and risks are small. Nausea has been associated with older anesthetic medications. New medications, sophisticated equipment and intensive training have made anesthesia safer than ever before. Please tell your anesthesiologist about any concerns that you have.

Pediatric anesthesia

All Great River Medical Center anesthesiologists are trained in pediatric anesthesia. For most procedures your child may have, anesthesia will be started by breathing gaseous anesthetic through a mask. An IV will be placed after the child is asleep, reducing the child’s discomfort and anxiety. Nausea occurs more often in children than in adults, but medications are available that can counteract this effect.

Your anesthesiologist

You have the opportunity to choose which anesthesiologist you would like for your surgery. He or she will always be present in the Operating Room during your surgery. If you have a preference, please let your surgeon know far in advance so that arrangements may be made to honor your request.

Your anesthesiologist is not employed by the hospital, so your insurance company will receive a separate bill for the anesthesiologist's services. The hospital will charge you for the anesthetic medications and equipment used during your surgery. Your anesthesiologist or the office personnel will answer your financial questions.

Your anesthesiologist is a physician who has chosen to specialize in the field of anesthesiology. Anesthesiologists complete college and medical school, then enter a four-year anesthesiology residency-training program. Your anesthesiologist is a crucial member of your surgical team. Please feel free to ask questions and voice any concern you may have. If you are well informed and know what to expect, you will be better prepared and more relaxed for your surgical procedure.

For more information

If you have any questions or concerns, please call your anesthesiologist's office, or call the hospital's Surgical Services at (319) 768-3030.