What is Anaesthesia?

Anaesthesia is a speciality in the medical field. It is one of the "younger" medical specialities. The first anaesthetic was administered in 1846 in Boston, USA by William Morton, using Ether.

By the turn of the century the task of giving anaesthesia was usually delegated to junior interns or medical students, who were often more interested in the surgical procedure than in monitoring the patient. Since then Anaesthesia has been revolutionised.

Today anaesthesia is far safer and the experience generally far better than in early days. Drugs used in anaesthesia are constantly being developed and improved. Monitoring of patients has been revolutionised, improving the safety of anaesthesia. Pain management has also improved with modalities such as regional anaesthesia and patient controlled analgesia, leading to a far better experience for patients undergoing surgery.

An anaesthetic service entails various essential aspects. Prior to surgery, you will be seen by your anaesthetist, who will assertain any risk factors for anaesthesia and how best to optimise your pre-surgical condition, prior to surgery. At this point your anaesthetist will be determining what the best anaesthetic would be, taking into consideration your medical status and the surgery that is to be performed. No two anaesthetics are the same. Each must be tailored to suit the patient and the surgery.

At this time you should feel free to discuss any concerns or queries you may have, with your anaesthetist. He or she will be glad to answer these.

In theatre, your anaesthetist will be responsible for rendering you unconscious and unaware of the surgical procedure, optimising surgical conditions for the surgeon, maintaining all physiological processes eg. heart beat, respiration, blood pressure, fluid status, temperature, etc. This is done using various pharmacological drugs and other modalities. During anaesthesia, you will be actively monitored by your anaesthetist.

During anaesthesia, pain management will be started and planned for. Following surgery your anaesthetist will ensure your safe return to consciousness and will continue with pain management into the post operative period.

The anaesthetists in our association can assure you that we will do our best to make your anaesthetic experience a safe one and a pleasant one.