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Patients / Frequently Asked Questions
Back to Patients | Patient Education

Pre-op Considerations

What is an Anesthesiologist?

How safe is anesthesia and what are the risks?

Fasting Guidelines

Do I need an intravenous (IV) catheter before I go to sleep?

Types of Anesthesia

What types of anesthesia are available?

What Risks are Involved with the Use of Anesthesia?

What causes a spinal headache?

Pediatric Anesthesia

What are the risks for my child during anesthesia?

How will my child go to sleep?

What will you do if my child is anxious before surgery?

Recovery from Anesthesia & Surgery

Where will I wake up?

How will I wake up?

Will I experience nausea after anesthesia and surgery?

Will I have pain when I wake up?

Pre-op Considerations

What is an Anesthesiologist?

An anesthesiologist is a physician who has completed four years of undergraduate education (college), four years of medical school and at least four years of residency training. The anesthesiologist is a physician specialist responsible for the anesthetic care, life support and pain management for patients undergoing surgery, childbirth and various medical procedures. Additionally, anesthesiologists are involved in the management of critically ill patients and patients with chronic pain syndromes. Upon completion of specialty training, the anesthesiologist becomes eligible for board certification by the American Board of Anesthesiology. The physicians in Valley Anesthesiology Consultants are board certified or in the certification process.

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How safe is anesthesia and what are the risks?

The administration of anesthesia, even to patients with serious health problems, can generally be accomplished safely without major complications and only minor side effects. However, even when carefully and competently administered, serious and potentially life-threatening complications can and do very rarely occur. During the last twenty years improved understanding of how the body reacts to anesthesia and surgery, more sophisticated monitoring devices and better anesthetic agents have dramatically improved anesthetic safety. Anesthetic mortality, as high as 1:15,000 prior to 1980, is now less than 1:200,000 for patients in good health undergoing elective procedures.

The risk of anesthetic administration is determined by the patient’s health status, the nature of the surgical procedure and if the care is being provided electively or because of a surgical emergency. If you want to know more about the risk of anesthesia in your case, your anesthesiologist can make the best assessment during your pre-anesthetic evaluation.

Anesthetic risk can be reduced by providing complete information about your health to your anesthesiologist and by carefully following our fasting (also called “NPO” or “nothing by mouth”) guidelines and instructions regarding any medication you are taking on a regular basis.

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Fasting Guidelines

An appropriate fasting period prior to elective procedures performed during anesthesia is essential for patient safety. The objective is to empty the stomach so the risk of inhaling stomach contents into the lungs is reduced. This is a serious potential complication called pulmonary aspiration and in severe cases can be fatal. In emergencies special precautions are taken but elective surgery will be cancelled if the fasting instructions are not followed.

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Do I need an Intravenous (IV) catheter before I go to sleep?

Most adults will have an IV catheter inserted prior to their anesthetic for the induction of anesthesia, fluid therapy and for the administration of medication. Children also require IV catheters, but they are usually placed after the child goes to sleep.

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Types of Anesthesia

What types of anesthesia are available?

You will have one of three kinds of anesthesia during surgery. Monitored anesthesia care (MAC) is often used for surgery that is short and does not require the surgeon to cut muscle or bone. Sedatives and pain killers are given through an IV. The area around the surgical site is numbed with a local anesthetic. You may choose to remain awake or sleep lightly. If you are uncomfortable, your anesthesiologist can usually make you sleepier or the surgeon can inject more local anesthesia. Regional anesthesia is often used for surgery on the arms, legs, lower abdomen and during childbirth. A local anesthetic is injected to block nerve impulses in a nerve or group of nerves coming from the site of the surgical procedure. The area will begin to feel numb within minutes. Sedatives are typically administered through an IV catheter. With regional anesthesia, you may remain awake or choose to sleep lightly. General anesthesia is most often used for more extensive surgery, such as abdominal, heart, brain or chest surgery. You are unconscious throughout the surgery.

In certain situations a combination of general and regional anesthesia may be appropriate.

Following your pre-anesthetic evaluation, your anesthesiologist will recommend an anesthetic choice for the case, taking into account your health status and preference and the nature of the surgical procedure.

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What Risks are Involved with the Use of Anesthesia?

Fortunately, anesthesia complications are rare.  It is important for you to inform your anesthesiologist of any medications you are currently taking or may have taken in the past. When certain drugs are combined in the body it could lead to possible drug reactions. Inform your anesthesiologist about any reaction you may have had during previous surgeries. Any excessive drug or alcohol use may cause damage to vital organs such as the kidneys, liver or heart. This could affect your ability to tolerate anesthesia and is an important topic to discuss with your anesthesiologist.

Risks and complications may include, but not be limited to lung, heart, liver or neuro functioning. Headaches occur in a very small percentage of patients after spinal anesthesia.

A discussion of the risks and complications with your anesthesiologist is necessary for your informed consent.

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What causes a spinal headache?

When the spinal needle passes through the membrane that contains the fluid surrounding the spinal cord, it may create a passage for spinal fluid to leak out. If enough of the fluid leaks out, the patient may experience a headache. Thanks to the improved design of today's spinal needles it is rare to have this problem after a spinal anesthetic. Epidural anesthesia is performed with a larger needle than spinal anesthesia and the medicine is placed outside the membrane holding the spinal fluid. The likelihood of headache is higher if the epidural needle should puncture the membrane. If a patient develops a severe headache, the anesthesiologist can place a sterile blood ‘patch’ with the patient's own blood to ‘seal’ the leak.

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Pediatric Anesthesia

What are the risks for my child during anesthesia?

As with adults, the administration of anesthesia, even to very small babies with serious health problems, can generally be accomplished safely and usually without major complications and only minor side effects. However, even when anesthesia is carefully and competently administered, serious and potentially life threatening complications can and do rarely occur.

The risks of anesthesia in children are similar to those for adults, although the nature of anesthetic complications may differ. Respiratory complications are low but more frequent in children than adults. Discuss your concerns about the risks associated with anesthesia in your child’s case with the anesthesiologist.

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How will my child go to sleep?

With younger children, the most frequent type of induction (putting the patient to sleep) is by breathing oxygen and anesthesia gases through a mask. Flavored masks are usually available. The older child may select an IV because it is a faster way to go to sleep. If the older child is afraid of the IV catheter insertion, an inhalation induction is the most common option.

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What will you do if my child is anxious before surgery?

Medication is available that can sedate your child after you are at our facility and before the operating room prior to the start of the anesthetic. Pre-medication can be given by mouth or through an IV catheter.

Many parents ask to be with their child in the operating room when the child falls asleep. This is possible only at some facilities. If this is your interest, talk to your child’s anesthesiologist, as parental presence will only be beneficial to your child in some situations.

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Recovery from Anesthesia & Surgery

Where will I wake up?

Recovery from anesthesia takes a variable amount of time depending on the type of medications used, type and duration of surgery and the patient. You will awaken and recover from the anesthesia in a specialized unit called the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Nurses with specialized training or ICU experience will be with you to closely monitor your vital signs and overall condition. You will stay in this unit until you have met criteria for discharge to your hospital room or home.

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How will I wake up?

You will be drowsy and have mild confusion as you emerge from general anesthesia. If you have either pain or nausea, tell your nurse and medication will be administered until you are comfortable. You may feel drowsy or tired for a couple of days or longer depending on your surgery. A sore throat occasionally is experienced after anesthesia, but should resolve within 24-48 hours.

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Will I experience nausea after anesthesia and surgery?

Some patients experience nausea after anesthesia and surgery. This may be related to the anesthetic, the surgical procedure itself or multiple other factors. If you have experienced this after a previous surgery or anesthetic, it is important that you tell your anesthesiologist so that appropriate medication can be given. If you experience motion sickness, inform your anesthesiologist.

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Will I have pain when I wake up?

Most surgical anesthetics provide some relief of postoperative pain because narcotics (pain killers) are often given as part of the anesthetic. When you arrive in the recovery room, you may require more medication. If you experience pain, let your nurse know immediately.

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There are no guarantees either expressed or implied. The patient's actual experience may be different from those presented here. Please discuss your questions and any concerns with your Anesthesiologist.

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Phoenix Anesthesia, PLLC
PO Box 181855
Dallas, Texas 75218
Office/Fax 214-443-1231
info@ephoenixgroup.com

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