Surgery can be a stressful moment for any patient. The main goal of anesthesia consultants is to ensure that patients are safe and comfortable during and after an operation.
They use several methods both for pediatric and adult procedures including neurosurgical, cardiac, obstetrical, and general surgery processes.
The first step involves meeting the patient and examining their medical history. After that, the operation team will come up with a customized plan and the right anesthesia for surgery.
Pre-Op: Meeting the Anaesthesiologist
The first meeting with the anesthesiologist is a very important step when preparing a patient for surgery. Both the patient and the healthcare practitioner should pay close attention to what happens in this first step.
During this step, an anesthesiologist will review the patient’s medical history, past previous anesthesia experiences, and any other medication that the patient is using or might have used.
Additionally, the anesthesiologist will also carry out an assessment on a patient’s airway, lungs and heart, and any other physical issue that the patient may be facing.
At this stage, the anesthesiologist will also explain to the patient about the plan and what they should expect during and after the surgery as far as regaining consciousness, recovery, and dealing with pain and discomfort is concerned.
This is also the time for the patient to ask any questions or concerns that they might have about the entire procedure.
During surgery
Throughout the surgery process, the anesthesia will continue to administer different types of medicine to offer optimal amounts of anesthesia. It is important for the anesthesia care team to monitor any signs of the patients during the surgery.
At least one member of the care team must be with the patient during the entire surgery process. The signs to be monitored should not just be on the pulse, blood pressure, and body temperature.
The team should also focus on respiration, heart rate, and how the central nervous system is functioning.
The Anaesthesia personnel is also supposed to be in charge of the IV and other fluids such as blood transfusion.
In case a patient experiences a life-threatening situation during the surgery, it is up to the anesthesiologist and CRNA to assess the situation and take quick and appropriate action to get the patient out of danger.
Post-Op: Recovery
After the surgery has been conducted, the patient is usually taken to a recovery room to regain consciousness. Some patients may just feel fine after waking up but others may experience shivering or nausea.
They may also have a sore throat because of the tube that was inserted on the throat during surgery. The anesthesiologist will continue to monitor the patient during the recovery period and administer medication in case of persistent pain.
The patient can go home or be taken to a hospital room depending on his or her condition after the recovery.
The anesthesiologist will conduct the final assessment on the patient after being discharged from the recovery room. If a patient opts to go home the same day, then they should organize for a ride early.
Different types of anesthesia
There are different anesthesia offered by consultants:
Sedation
This comprises medications that are meant to alter a patient’s consciousness – making them less anxious and relaxed about the surgery. Analgesics are commonly used to relieve pain. Both analgesics and sedatives are used in different dosages during the surgery.
Local anesthesia
These are types of medicine administered to temporarily stop the senses of feeling in particular areas. If it is a minor surgery, local anesthesia is administered through injection to a particular area.
Regional anesthesia
Regional anesthesia is normally used to numb a certain part of the body that is supposed to undergo surgery. There are several types of regional anesthesia that include spinal, epidural, and nerve blocks anesthesia
General anesthesia
General anesthesia comprises different types of medicine and techniques used to make patients unconscious during the surgery. In most cases, the patient’s breathing is controlled or aided using specialized devices.
