Process of anaesthesia and journey to the theater

Anaesthesia is used to stop you from feeling pain during surgical ordiagnostic procedures. It does this by blocking the pain signals thatpass along your nerves to your brain.Not all types of anaesthesia make you unconscious. Anaesthesia can be given in various ways and can be applied to different parts of the body.

The process of the Anasthesia is like that Your anesthesiologist usually delivers the anesthesia medications through an intravenous line in your arm. Sometimes you may be given a gas that you breathe from a mask. Children may prefer to go to sleep with a mask. Once you're asleep, the anesthesiologist may insert a tube into your mouth and down your windpipe

Once you're asleep, the anesthesiologist may insert a tube into your mouth and down your windpipe. The tube ensures that you get enough oxygen and protects your lungs from blood or other fluids, such as stomach fluids. You'll be given muscle relaxants before doctors insert the tube to relax the muscles in your windpipe.

Someone from the anesthesia care team monitors you continuously while you sleep. He or she will adjust your medications, breathing, temperature, fluids and blood pressure as needed. Any issues that occur during the surgery are corrected with additional medications, fluids and, sometimes, blood transfusions.

Your journey to the operating theatre

Before you leave for the hospital, please remember you are allowed to drink Water up to ONE HOUR before surgery.You will be offered a glass of water on arrival to the ward or waiting area. You may be allowed further water depending on the timing of your surgery. If your surgery is delayed for an emergency patient, please ask the staff caring for you if you are allowed any further water.

Who are the theatre team/staff that will be caring for you?

• Health care assistant / support worker / chaperone
• Theatre practitioner
• Anaesthetic practitioner
• Surgeon
• Anaesthetist

Preparing your basic anaesthetic equipment:

• Monitors - ensure that your monitors are working, configured correctly and with appropriate alarms and volume limits set.
• Airway equipment - ensure you have a full range of the required equipment including spares.
• Ancillary and resuscitation equipment- check that the patient,s trolley, bed or operating table can be tilted head down rapidly
• Muscle relaxants
• Antibiotics which may be required at induction depending on the type of surgery
• Anaesthetic machine check - it is mandatory to do a full check on the anaesthetic machine in theatre prior to every list.
• Check that you have the appropriate operating table and equipment to support the patient and protect pressure areas from injury during surgery
• Check that you have appropriate equipment to avoid hypothermia including active patient and fluid warming devices
• Consider whether any additional invasive or non-invasive monitoring equipment is required.