Anesthesia Options
Your anesthesiologist is responsible for your comfort and well-being during surgery. During surgery, your anesthesiologist will carefully monitor your vital functions including heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing, and treat any conditions that may arise.
There are 3 main categories of anesthesia: local, regional, and general.
With local anesthesia, the surgical site is injected with a drug that numbs the area. You may choose to remain awake or to sleep lightly. If you wish to sleep, the anesthesiologist will give you medications to relax you through the intravenous (IV) line.
With regional anesthesia, the anesthesiologist injects a numbing medication near a cluster of nerves or near your spine to make your arms or legs numb. A spinal or epidural is an example of a regional anesthetic. Regional anesthesia may be given alone or with sedating medications. You may be as sleepy or as awake as you wish. In some cases, depending on the surgical procedure, the regional anesthetic may be combined with a general anesthetic.
With general anesthesia, anesthesia administered through a facemask or through the intravenous (IV) causes you to fall into a state of deep sleep. Other drugs may be given to prevent pain and nausea, to maintain the deep sleep, and to help the surgeon perform the operation. During this time, you will have no awareness or other sensations. At the end of surgery, your anesthesiologist will reverse the process and you will gain awareness in the recovery room.
