Anesthesia services are provided by anesthetists who are highly qualified in all aspects of outpatient surgery. Your anesthetist will examine you before surgery and answer any questions you may have. Be sure to talk to your anesthetist about any medications you are currently taking, even over-the-counter drugs. The appropriate type of anesthesia will be determined by your surgeon in consultation with the anesthetist.
It is important that you report any changes in your physical condition that arise before your day of surgery.
Types of anesthesia:
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General Anesthesia: General anesthesia provides a temporary state of unconsciousness, by drugs injected into the blood stream, breathed into the lungs or by other routes. It may necessitate a tube being placed into the mouth or windpipe. Common risks include mouth or throat pain, hoarseness or injury to the mouth or teeth. Uncommon risks include awareness under anesthesia, injury to nerves, or pneumonia (less than 1 chance in 1000 anesthetics).
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Spinal or Epidural Anesthesia: Spinal or epidural anesthesia provides temporary numbness and loss of movement to the lower part of the body. This is accomplished by drugs injected through a needle or catheter placed into or near the spinal fluid surrounding the spinal nerves. Common risks include backache or headache. Uncommon risks include temporary injuries to nerves (less than 1 chance in 100 anesthetics) or seizures (less than 1 chance in 1000 anesthetics).
- Nerve Block: Nerve block provides temporary numbness and loss of movement to a specific limb. This is accomplished by injection of drugs near nerves. Common risks include tenderness at the site of injection. Uncommon risks inculde seizures, temporary damage to nerves (about 1 chance in 500 anesthetics) and a collapsed lung (less than 1 chance in 1000 anesthetics).
- Monitored Anesthesia Care: Monitored anesthesia care provides reduced anxiety and complete or partial recall of events before, during or after surgery depending on the depth of sedation. This is accomplished by drugs injected into the blood stream, breathed into the lungs or other routes, producing a partially sleeping state. Numbness may be accomplished by the surgeon injecting drugs into the site where he performs the surgery. The risks are similar to those of general anesthesia but are less common.
- Very Rare Risks: All of the types of anesthesia listed above have some very rare complications. These complications are serious, can be life threatening and can be permanent. These complications include, but are not limited to: allergic reaction, seizures, cardiac arrest, permanent weakness, coma or death. Fortunately, modern anesthesia is no more dangerous than driving your car and the probability of you having a serious compilation is very small (less than 1 chance in 20,000 anesthetics).
Your anesthesiologist or CRNA can discuss the benefits of each type of anesthesia and which type is recommended for you.
