When going in for surgery, the thought of anesthesia can seem intimidating and nerve-wracking. . Fortunately, most people do not experience any problems with anesthesia. . However, we are here to provide you with as much detail as possible about how the Fort Collins Surgery Center handles patients who require anesthesia for a procedure. .
What is anesthesia?
Anesthesia is a mixture of gases that interrupt nerve signals to the body and brain. . This allows the brain not to remember what occurred in the procedure and prevents the brain and body from responding to pain. . Procedures that require anesthesia are necessary for many patients to live longer and healthier lives.
What are the different types of anesthesia?
Anesthesia is produced with a drug called anesthetics. . There are three main types of anesthetics drugs that scientists have created for different effects. . These include general, regional, and local anesthetics. . General anesthetics affect the whole body by making patients completely unconscious and unable to move. . Typically, general anesthetics are very safe and act quickly. . Without general anesthesia, many life-saving surgeries could not be performed, such as, open-heart surgery, organ transplants, brain surgery, etc. . Regional and local anesthetics are used to block pain in a specific part of the body. Regional anesthetics are used for larger areas of the body, such as a leg or an arm. In comparison, local anesthetics affect a small part of the body, such as a tooth or finger.
How does anesthesia work, and what do anesthesiologist do?
Depending on the procedure required, doctors can deliver the various types of anesthetics through injection, inhalation, spray, eye drops, skin patch, or topical lotion. An anesthesiologist’s job is to monitor the patients throughout the procedure so there are no problems, allowing the doctors to focus on the particular area a patient is getting surgery on. These professionals have advanced electronic devices that display the patient’s heart rate, oxygen levels, blood pressure, and breathing patterns. While under general anesthesia, you will not feel any pain because you are completely unconscious.
What are the complications of anesthesia?
Complications with anesthesia are typically only minor. These can include sore throat, vomiting after surgery, and nausea. Luckily, these minor complications resolve quickly.
With young and healthy people, they typically have little problems when undergoing general anesthesia. However, older adults can sometimes have a longer time eliminating the after effects of anesthesia from their bodies. This can cause grogginess and confusion for as long as a couple days. . As far as serious anesthesia risks, these complications are often a result of drug relations or medical conditions. It is important to discuss your medical history with your surgeon and anesthesiologist to avoid serious issues.
If you have any more questions or concerns about the in’s and out’s of anesthesia, contact the Surgery Center of Fort Collins. . We make it a priority to make your surgery experience as informative and easy as possible.
Source: https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/fact-sheets/Pages/anesthesia.aspx