anesthesia frequently asked questions

NOTE: Material on this page does not constitute medical advice.
Consult with your physician concerning specific medical conditions.

Before My Surgery

Can I have food before the surgery?
For Adults: We require that all patients not have any SOLID FOOD after the midnight before the surgery. If your surgery is planned for later on in the day, you may be allowed to have CLEAR LIQUIDS in the morning hours. Clear liquids are basically liquids which you can "see through." Examples: Water, clear broth, black coffee. Please note that Orange juice, milk or coffee with cream are NOT clear liquids. The anesthesiologist will inform you if you may have clear liquids. The reason we ask you not to have any solids after the midnight is because your planned surgery may be moved up and if you had any solids, we will have to wait for 6 to 8 hours.
For Children: The guidelines vary according to the age of the patient. You will be informed about the last oral intake before the surgery.

Can I take my medications before the surgery?
Generally speaking, you should take most of your medication as scheduled with a sip of water before the surgery. You need not take vitamins or similar medications. If you are diabetic, the anesthesiologist will instruct you about your diabetic medications. If you use inhalers for asthma or emphysema, you should continue them.

Should I bring my medications from home?
As a general rule, you will not need to bring your medications from home. However, it is a very good idea for you to keep a list of your current medications and dosages in a wallet or purse at all times.

Can I smoke prior to the surgery?
Please avoid smoking at least 24 hours prior to the surgery. This will allow more hemoglobin to be available to carry oxygen during the surgery and may increase the safety of anesthesia.

Can I chew gum prior to the surgery?
No. Chewing a gum causes acid secretion in the stomach to increase and may compromise your safety.

When should I arrive for the planned surgery?
Generally speaking, you should arrive at the facility about 30 to 45 minutes prior to the planned surgery. The reason we ask you to arrive prior is to allow the time needed to complete your pre-anesthetic evaluation, start an IV, etc.

What items should I leave at home?
Valuables are best left at home. It is not a good idea to bring money, credit cards, jewelry or expensive watches. If valuables are brought to the facility, please leave them in the care of your family member or discharge escort.

Can I drive myself home after the same day surgery?
NO. You MUST have someone else drive you home. During the 24 hours after surgery, you should plan to have someone stay with you and you are advised not to drive or operate machinery while taking prescription pain medication.

Will I have an "I.V." before the surgery?
All patients receive an IV before surgery. Our skilled anesthesia team will make the IV insertion as pleasant as possible. An IV is necessary for several reasons. It provides hydration for our preoperative fasting patients. It provides access for medication administration to help with sedation and initiation of anesthetics. It provides quick access for medication administration if any unsuspecting emergent conditions should arise. It provides access for your pain and antibiotic medication administration post-operatively if needed.

Does my family member need to stay in the office while I am in surgery?
While in the office, your family member or discharge escort may use our office waiting area. If they need to leave the office during longer surgical procedures, your family should inform the receptionist and leave a direct contact number such as a cell phone. They must return promptly when called to receive discharge instructions and to answer any questions regarding post-op care.

Will someone inform them of the progress or results?
Our office staff will keep your family and friends posted on your progress. To maintain confidentiality, the staff will not relate information about your surgery without your approval.

Will I meet my Anesthesiologist before the surgery?
Certainly. Your anesthesiologist will speak with you prior to your surgery. He will review your medical history with you and discuss the type of anesthesia that is best for you. Your anesthesiologist is most concerned about your welfare. Feel free to discuss any concerns you may have about your care.

What else, besides an IV, will I have before the surgery?
Your anesthesiologist will discuss any other procedures that you may require before surgery. All patients have vital sign and other monitors applied before surgery also.

Can I wear my contact lenses?
It is best that you leave your contact lenses at home where they will be safe. At the time of surgery, you will be asked to remove them, so if you chose to wear your lenses to the office, please bring your lens case to store them in.

Can I wear make-up?
Facial make-up should be avoided, if at all possible. You may be asked to remove the make-up since eye make-up can smear and possibly irritate your eyes. Also, all dental & oral procedures require that any foreign material which could interfere with the surgery or healing be removed.

Should I bring my hearing-aides?
Absolutely. If we need to remove them for your surgery, we will keep them in a safe place and return them to you after surgery. We prefer that you wear your hearing aides for communication purposes.

Can I keep my dentures in?
You can keep your dentures in right up until the time of surgery. For your protection, when having a general anesthetic, we will ask you to remove your dentures for the surgery and return them to you after surgery.

Sedation / Local Anesthesia

Will I be awake during my surgery or asleep?
You may remain awake or you may be given a sedative to help you relax and reduce anxiety. This will be different from "general anesthesia" where you are made totally unconscious and have no awareness or other sensations. With general anesthesia, your entire body is made to fall asleep. The idea with local or regional anesthesia is to keep you sleepy enough so that you are comfortable and can tolerate the procedure while still breathing on your own, but not so sleepy that you lose consciousness and require artificial respiration. If this level of sedation is enough for the length of the surgery, your post-operative recovery will probably be smoother and more tolerable. Although many patients have this type of sedation where they remain conscious throughout the surgery, they may still not "remember" much from their experience because of the "amnesia" properties of many of the modern-day sedatives. Therefore, after the surgery, you may think that you had gone to sleep, yet really only received sedation.

Will I have pain?
Sometimes patients will feel "pulling and tugging" and/or "pressure-like" sensations and this is quite normal. If any true "pain" is felt, the anesthesiologist may elect to give more intravenous medications to help reduce the pain or he or she may inform the surgeon to administer more local anesthetic directly to the surgical site and therefore reduce the pain. Other medications to make you more sleepy and therefore more able to tolerate the surgery may also be added to your "cocktail" through your intravenous line.

Who will decide which type of anesthesia I will have?
After a thorough evaluation of your medical history and any required laboratory results, your anesthesiologist will examine you and then recommend a plan of action that is best-suited to your needs. If the procedure that is being contemplated can be done under local or regional anesthesia, these will probably be the recommended options. Your anesthesiologist will weigh the risks of the various anesthetic options with the potential benefits of each, as well as look at your medical condition and the nature of the surgery, and then he or she will make recommendations to you so that you may make an informed decision about what will be done for you.

Will someone stay with me during the entire operation?
The anesthesiologist will be with you from the start of your care in the operating room to the time that you are taken to the recovery room. He will not only administer anesthesia (either local/regional anesthesia with intravenous sedation or general anesthesia) but also monitor your vital life functions, including breathing, heart rhythm, blood pressure, brain and kidney functions throughout your operation.

General Anesthesia

What is General Anesthesia?
General Anesthesia is a type of anesthesia where you are put in deep sleep. It is the most common type of anesthesia. It is also known as "being put under", "put to sleep", and "completely out".

Will I be completely asleep?
Yes. During the delivery of a general anesthetic, the patient is rendered unconscious by various medications that depress the central nervous system thus making them insensible to painful surgical stimulation and depressing the bodies vital reflexes. This is in contrast to other types of anesthetics where the patient may be only sedated and can be aroused during the course of the surgery if necessary, this is often referred to as sedation.

Will I have a tube put in my throat?
Yes. The anesthetics that render the patient unconscious also inhibit the patient from breathing adequately. The anesthesiologist must assist the patient's breathing during the course of the surgery. This is most often accomplished by placing a small breathing tube (endotracheal tube) into the patients windpipe (trachea) after the patient is anesthetized. The endotracheal tube is most often removed while the patient is waking up and therefore most patients do not have any recollection of this event.

What are the side effects of general anesthesia?
Minor side effects from general anesthesia and surgery are common. These include nausea, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, or a generalized weak and foggy feeling. Fortunately these are most often not serious and resolve on their own in hours or a few days after surgery. Rarely these side effects are severe enough to require specific treatment or possibly further hospitalization.

Will the anesthesiologist stay with me the entire surgery?
Yes. Because of the possibility for rapid changes in the anesthetized patient a qualified anesthesiologist will be continuously present to monitor the patient and provide anesthesia care.

What is the maximum length of surgery in the outpatient setting if sedation and/or general anesthesia is used?
There are no published guidelines concerning the maximum length of surgery that can be performed in the outpatient setting. Nor have there been any studies that have specifically addressed this issue.

During longer procedures, patients may become increasingly uncomfortable because of the inability to change position, so that general anesthesia, rather than sedation may be more appropriate.
Although modern anesthesia techniques are associated with shortened recovery time, patients still must remain in the outpatient facility for an appropriate period of time after their procedure.