ANAESTHESIA EXPLAINED

Types of anaesthesia

Local anaesthesia involves injections which numb a small part of your body, you stay conscious but free from pain.

General anaesthesia gives a state of controlled unconsciousness. It is essential for most operations. You are unconscious and feel nothing.

Sedation is used to assist local anaesthesia and can be achieved with drugs that make you feel relaxed and sleepy. They often make you forget the event!

Your anaesthetist will meet you before your operation and will:-

* ask you about your health
* discuss with you which types of anaesthetic can be used
* discuss with you the benefits and risks
* decide with you which anaesthetic is best for you

Pre-assessment
Before coming to the hospital we will ask you to complete a health questionnaire. This is very important. It you smoke are overweight, have loose teeth (crowns) or long standing medical problems these will need to be discussed with the anaesthetist. Illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid problems, heart disease and epilepsy are of particular concern. Please advise us of ALL the pills or medicines that you normally take and if you suffer from allergies especially to antibiotics.

If you are taking medicines, you should continue to take them as usual, unless you have been told not to. We will provide special advice if you have diabetes, have high blood pressure or have been taking steroids.

Not eating or drinking ! ('Nil by mouth)
We will provide you with clear instructions about fasting. It is important to follow these. If there is fluid or liquid in your stomach during your anaesthetic, it could come up to the back of your throat and damage your lungs.

Please avoid taking aspirin before your operation

Pre-medication
Normally we do not provide pre-medication as these days it is not necessary. If you are very nervous then we will be happy to provide you with a sedative tablet 1 - 2 hours before your operation.

General anaesthesia
There are two ways of starting a general anaesthetic
1- anaesthetic drugs may be injected into a vein through a cannula
2- you may breathe anaesthetic gases and oxygen through a mask, which you may hold if you prefer. Once you are unconscious, your anaesthetist stays with you at all times and continues to give the drugs to keep you anaesthetised.

As soon as the operation is finished, the drugs will be stopped or reversed so that you regain consciousness.

Pain relief
We will provide a combination of pills, injections and sometimes suppositories to provide the best possible pain relief at all times. When you leave hospital we will make sure that you have plenty of pain killers to take home.

Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)
This is a method using a machine that allows you to control pain relief yourself.

Risks from anaesthesia
In modern anaesthesia, serious problems are uncommon. Risk cannot be completely removed, but modern equipment, training and drugs have made it a much safer procedure.

Common side effects include, nausea and sickness, sore throat, dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision, headache, itching, aches and pains and backache, pain during injection of drugs, bruising and soreness and confusion or memory loss.

Uncommon side effect include, chest infections, bladder problems, muscle pains, damage to teeth lips or gums, slow breathing and an existing medical condition getting worse, awareness.

Very rare complications include, damage to the eyes, nerve damage, allergic reactions to the drugs, equipment failure.