Anaesthesia

The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Management has made great strides in advancing anesthesia safety for orthopedic surgery patients. Based on your specific needs, your Anesthesiologist will develop a comprehensive anesthetic plan before, during, and after surgery. Before surgery, please speak with your anesthesiologist 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 anesthetic approaches, more specifically regional anesthesia.

You will meet your anesthesiologist the day of the operation before surgery. If you have any questions or concerns related to your anesthesia, you are welcome to arrange for a pre-anesthetic consultation. We always have an anesthesiologist on call to answer your pressing questions. If you have any questions about your operation, you should contact your surgeon's office.

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.

You should discuss your medications with your physician at your preoperative medical clearance appointment or with your surgeon before surgery.. If your medication questions are not answered by the day of surgery, you should bring your medications with you.

It is vital to inform your anesthesiologist of any allergies you may have. Your providers need to know what you are allergic to and how you react to those allergens. At the time of your admission, a color-coded wristband will be given to you to indicate to your caregivers that you have an allergy. Some people have allergies specifically to anesthetic agents. Allergic reactions range from skin rashes, hives, breathing problems, and anaphylaxis to a very rare condition called malignant hyperthermia. If you do have an allergic reaction in the hospital, it can be treated. However, the safest way to avoid these types of problems is by avoiding exposure.

Your anesthesiologist can often find safe, alternative ways of providing anesthesia without using medications that may have caused problems in the past. For your safety, your anesthesiologist may recommend preoperative testing by an allergist to confirm drug allergies.

If you know that you have sleep apnea, please alert your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and the hospital staff before surgery. If you have special home equipment for sleep apnea, such as nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask, please bring it with you to the hospital on the day of surgery. If you have sleep apnea, as a precautionary measure, you may be admitted overnight to be observed by one of our team to ensure that the medications prescribed to control pain after surgery do not interfere with your breathing.

An anesthesia technician, often called an anesthesia tech, is a key member of the perioperative team. An anesthesia tech oversees and masters all of the anesthetic equipment the perioperative team uses – from ultrasound machines to monitors that display critical information about the progress of the procedure – and manages the safekeeping, maintenance, and troubleshooting of these technologies. An anesthesia tech is vital in improving anesthesia care by ensuring all of our cutting-edge technology, equipment, and instruments are up-to-date and working soundly.

General anesthesia requires complete unconsciousness and the assistance of a machine for breathing.Your surgeon and anesthesiologist determine the type of anesthesia and your level of sedation. In many cases, your anesthetic can be customized to meet your expectations. Many of the sedatives your anesthesiologist 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 anesthesia. Depending on the anesthetic technique and the amount and type of drugs that are administered by your anesthesiologists, you may be able to choose from being wide awake to fully asleep during your procedure.

Your anesthesiologist 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.

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

After your procedure, you will be moved to the postoperative ward. Once you are stable and/or awake, family visits may be allowed to visit for a short time. Your family will have to check with nursing staff about the exact time frames allowed.