Anaesthesia

General Anaesthesia is a medically induced, reversible state of unconsciousness. This is achieved using a combination of drugs including pain-killers. Drugs are injected into your vein and/or breathed in as gases into the lungs. A breathing tube will be inserted into your windpipe to help you breathe while under anaesthetic. The tube is removed as you wake up after surgery.

Regional Anaesthesia numbs one region of your body. Patients are usually sedated for the procedure itself and throughout surgery. Sometimes, regional anaesthesia is combined with  general anaesthetic. Regional anaesthesia may be performed as a single shot or with a continuous catheter through, which medication is given over a prolonged period.

 

Local anaesthetic and other pain medicines are given using an epidural catheter (a small tube or line) that is inserted into your back to block pain during surgery and/or after your operation. Epidural analgesia is commonly used to help reduce labour pain.

 

Local anaesthetics and other pain medicines are injected directly into your spinal canal to block pain during surgery. Generally during spinal anaesthesia, the patient is numbed from the chest or abdomen down to the legs for 6 to 8 hours.

Local anaesthetics and other pain medicines are injected near a nerve or a group of nerves supplying sensation to the intended surgical site, hence numbing the region and blocking pain during surgery. Nerve blocks typically last 8 to 16 hours, although it may last for a few days in about 2% of people. Blocks lasting longer than this are extremely rare. 

 

Local anaesthetic are given to numb the area for surgery while the anaesthesia doctor monitors your vital functions such as heart rate, heart rhythm, blood pressure and breathing to ensure that you are safe and comfortable during surgery. You might also be given sedative medicines to help you to remain calm during the surgery. One effect of the sedative is drowsiness.