Yes. There are five different categories of sedation and anesthesia:
- Conscious sedation: Combination of medications to help you relax and to block pain during a medical procedure. You will probably stay awake but won’t be able to speak.
- General anesthesia: IV medicine that eases you to sleep. After you are asleep, you will breathe an anesthetic to keep you asleep during the procedure Local Regional anesthesia: an injection to numb an entire limb or lower body.
- Monitored anesthesia care with sedation: Medications given into bloodstream to reduce anxiety and pain. Partial or total amnesia.
- Local anesthesia: injection of a numbing medicine at the operative site.
In addition, you may also receive medicine through an IV to help you relax during local and regional anesthesia. Regardless of the type of sedation or anesthesia that you receive, special anesthetic agents and techniques are used to provide a safe and speedy recovery. If there are alternative choices available for your surgery, and often there are, your physician or anesthesia provider will discuss them with you before surgery.
Depending on the type of surgery, there may be anesthetic options. Your physician or anesthesia provider will discuss available options with you after reviewing your medical history.
Together, you, your surgeon and your anesthesia provider will develop an anesthetic care plan. This plan may include preoperative sedation and other medications if necessary.
All surgical procedures and all anesthetics have risks. These risks are dependent upon many factors, including the type of surgery and your medical condition. Your anesthesiologist will assess you preoperatively and every precaution will be taken to minimize your risk. We routinely see minor symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, sore throat, dizziness, tiredness, headache, muscle aches and pain, most of which are easily treated. Please feel free to discuss any questions with your anesthesia provider.
It is important to refrain from eating and/or drinking prior to surgery in order to prevent the risk of aspirating gastric contents (a complication related to vomiting) during your surgery. This complication may be very serious. Specific instructions based on national safety standards will be provided to you prior to your procedure. It is very important that you follow the provided instructions. If you do not, your surgery may be delayed or cancelled.
Yes. You will receive a separate bill from your anesthesia provider if anesthesia was administered.