A Consultant Anaesthetist is a specialist doctor who has spent at least six years, and usually longer, after they have qualified in medicine, training and taking a series of examinations in the speciality of anaesthesia. This training allows anaesthetists to make decisions on the best care for you, not only during your operation but also in the time before and afterwards.

The Anaesthetist finds out about your general health, past and present and, knowing what operation or investigation is being planned, decides what is the best way to look after you. He or she will see you at some time before your operation and talk to you about what will happen. It is possible that, before you are seen by your anaesthetist, you will be seen by another doctor or nurse who will ask about your general health and fill out a simple questionnaire. This information will then be seen by your anaesthetist who may ask you for more details.

During the operation, the Anaesthetist will stay with you all the time to make sure that, whatever is being done to you, you are kept comfortable and safe. Anaesthetists look after every part of the normal working of your body, taking away pain, replacing body fluids, keeping you warm and carefully measuring and controlling all the vital functions of your body, such as your heart beat, blood pressure, breathing, brain and kidney function. In other words, your anaesthetist looks after you and, once the operation is over, he or she will organise the control of any pain and/or sickness, and advise on when you can start drinking again and what postoperative drugs and fluids you will require.

During a general anaesthetic your anaesthetist will give you many different sorts of drugs. Some take away the pain, some block certain reflexes, some make you sleepy and some stop you feeling sick. In providing a general anaesthetic, there are many different 'mixes' of drugs used by different anaesthetists.

The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Management has made great strides in advancing anesthesia safety for all sorts of surgery. Based on your specific needs, your Anaesthetist will develop a comprehensive anaesthetic plan before, during, and after surgery. Before surgery, please speak with your Anaesthetist about any concerns you have about anesthesia and pain management.

Common side effects include headache, pain at the injection site, and nausea and vomiting. Many of these risks are mitigated through our anaesthetic approaches, more specifically regional anaesthesia.

You will be given specific instructions about eating and drinking by the nurse who contacts you the day before your surgery. You should refrain from eating at least eight hours before your scheduled procedure to reduce side effects related to an aspiration. An aspiration is when stomach contents are expelled into the lungs and can cause significant damage. You can protect yourself from an aspiration by carefully following preoperative instructions regarding food and drink.

While general anaesthesia requires complete unconsciousness and the assistance of a machine for breathing, regional anesthesia techniques have several levels of sedation. Your surgeon and Anaesthetist determine the type of anaesthesia and your level of sedation. In many cases, your anaesthetic can be customized to meet your expectations. Many of the sedatives your Anaesthetist will use can cause amnesia, and although you may be awake and conversant during the procedure, you may have no recollection of these events later.

It is extremely rare to wake up during surgery under general anaesthesia. Depending on the anaesthetic technique and the amount and type of drugs that are administered by your Anaesthetist, you may be able to choose from being wide awake to fully asleep during your procedure.

Your Anaesthetist will do everything he or she can to keep you comfortable following surgery. You will be closely monitored by physicians, nurses, and other medical staff throughout your time in the recovery room to help ensure a safe and comfortable recovery.

If you are staying in the hospital after your surgery, our Acute Pain Service may coordinate your pain control. The Acute Pain Service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Your Anaesthetist will review your case to see if you are a candidate for regional anesthesia. Patients who undergo regional anesthesia are less likely to report feelings of nausea or vomiting following surgery. In fact, only five percent of patients at MDPS report throwing up after undergoing surgery with a regional anaesthetic compared with 40 percent to 50 percent of patients that receive a general anaesthetic. MDPS Anaesthetists routinely combine anti-nausea medications into your regional anaesthetic to lower your risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

If you have a history of nausea and vomiting following surgery or a history of motion sickness, please talk to your Anaesthetist before surgery. He or she will make necessary adjustments to the anaesthetic plan to ensure the best approach to keep you comfortable and safe throughout your stay at MDPS.