General Guide-Lines for Anaesthesia
Anaesthetist?
Your doctor/surgeon has referred you to a Specialist Anaesthetist to provide Anaesthesia for the medical/surgical procedure you are about to have. A Specialist Anaesthetist is a doctor who has further specialised after finishing a University Medical Degree, just like any other Medical/Surgical Specialist. Anaesthesia is often regarded as "going to sleep" – this is not the case, it is much more involved. Your Anaesthetist has done many years of training, including extensive training in Pain management, Resuscitation, Intensive/Critical Care as well as other specialist areas such as Obstetrics and Paediatrics.
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Pre-Anaethesia
You will be required to fast (not eat or drink) for a period of around 6 hours prior to your Anaesthesia. This includes chewing gum and other sweets/lollies, which can increase the acid production in your stomach. You should also stop smoking immediately once you are aware you require Anaesthesia to improve the ability of your blood to carry oxygen and reduce the other adverse effects smoking has on anaesthesia.
It is in your interest to see your Anaesthetist prior to operation to discuss your Anaesthesia with you and answer any questions. This may not be possible always e.g. emergency/after-hours cases. It is advisable to have your medications with you (or a list of them). In general, please take your normal medications prior to the start of the fasting period unless your Anaesthetist specifically says not to.
It may be necessary for some tests to be performed e.g. blood tests, blood cross-matching, cardiographs (ECG) and chest x-rays to ensure that you are in the best possible medical condition for the procedure/operation. It may be necessary for you to be referred to another Medical Specialist.
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Anaesthesia
Your Anaesthetist will be taking care of you continuously during the operation. Generally, you will receive a small injection in your hand or arm and a small plastic tube (sometimes called an "iv") will be left in place. This allows anaesthetic drugs to be given to you without repeated injections through your skin and also allow for the administration of fluids should you need them. There are other techniques which can be used (e.g "gas" inductions) or regional techniques like epidurals, spinals, or "locals" which will have been discussed with you at the Pre-anaesthetic Assessment. A number of special machines (called "monitors") will be attached to you just prior to the injection of anaesthetic drugs. These include a blood pressure cuff, a cardiograph ("ECG"), and other devices to measure your pulse and the anaesthetic gases you will be breathing. These monitors will remain on you for the duration of the procedure and assist in making sure your anaesthetic goes smoothly. From these monitors, and the way you react to the Anaesthesia and surgery, your Anaesthetist can assess how deeply you are anaesthetised. Thus, as far as possible, the Anaesthetist makes sure that you don’t "wake up" during the operation, and even more importantly, that you do "wake up" at the end of the procedure.
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Recovery
You will be transferred to the Recovery Room, which is part of the Operating Theatre complex. This is where you will be observed closely until you have sufficiently recovered and are comfortable enough to return to your ward. You may still feel sleepy for a short time and may have some difficulty remembering events immediately after your return. Some other more common "problems" patients have after Anaesthesia/operation are as follows:
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Common "Problems"
Sore throat /hoarse voice
This can be due to a breathing tube that has been inserted into your throat during the anaesthetic. At least 95% of patients having a general anaesthetic have some type of breathing tube inserted. You may occasionally be aware of this tube. It does not mean anything has gone wrong during the operation.
Pain
This is due to the operation/procedure. Most anaesthetics involve the administration of pain-killers during the procedure. Your anaesthetist will order pain- killing medications ("analgesics") you can ask for afterwards. It is in your best interests to get adequate pain relief.
Nausea/ Vomiting
There are many reasons for feeling "sick", nauseated or actually vomiting, including the type of operation, your pre-existing condition, use of pain-killers, and the drugs used during Anaesthesia. Many Anaesthetics include anti-vomiting medication and there will be medications written up for you to have afterwards. It is probably a good idea to drink slowly at first before having anything to eat.
Very "Sleepy"
Some patients are very sensitive to Anaesthetic drugs. Not everyone reacts the same way – some people need more, others less. Also, the longer the procedure, the more anaesthetic you will have during the operation. Your Anaesthetist has been trained to accurately assess the amount of drugs you require.
Other
Other minor problems that can occur include itching, bruising, or soreness at the site of the injection; rashes either due to adhesive tapes or some medications; dry mouth/temporary breathing problems; sore neck, sore/dry eyes; and some discomfort of the arms, legs, or back (that can be due to positioning for the operation). You may also feel cold and shivery. These side-effects usually go away without any specific treatment
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Rare Complications
There are rare serious problems that can occur, which may not be due to the Anaesthesia. These include severe allergic reactions, heart attacks, major blood loss (which may require transfusion), blood clots & pulmonary embolism, stroke, severe asthmatic attacks and other cardio-respiratory problems that may necessitate a period of time in Intensive/Critical Care. Your Anaesthetist has been trained to respond to these emergency situations should they occur. Overall, the risk of one of these major problems occurring is remote. If you wish to know more about these problems, please do not hesitate to ask your Anaesthetist
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Questions
If you have any further questions regarding your anaesthesia, you may contact us at:
Telephone: (03) 6223-1610
Facsimile: (03) 6224-0034
E-mail: info@thegroup.com.au
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