For Patients

About Anesthesia

Anesthesiologists: Experts in pain medicine

Anesthesiologists are specialized medical doctors dedicated to safeguarding your health, comfort, and safety throughout your surgical journey. Prior to your procedure, they carefully review your medical history and consult with the surgical team to design a personalized care plan. Within the operating suite, they remain by your side to manage pain, monitor vital signs, and expertly address any physiological changes. Their specialized care extends into the recovery room, ensuring you wake up safely and comfortably.

Beyond the operating room, these physicians serve as expert consultants in critical care medicine and advanced pain management for chronic conditions. To attain this level of expertise, anesthesiologists complete four years of medical school followed by an intensive four-year residency program. Many pursue further fellowship training to sub-specialize in highly precise fields, including cardiac, pediatric, and obstetric anesthesia. No matter how complex the procedure, you can rest assured knowing your safety is in expert hands.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are highly trained advanced practice nurses with years of intensive care experience and specialized graduate education in anesthesia. They independently manage and deliver critical anesthesia services before, during, and after surgical or diagnostic procedures. From airway management and vital sign monitoring to post-operative recovery, CRNAs collaborate with anesthesiologists and surgeons across diverse medical environments. Your CRNA will be by your side throughout your entire procedure, keeping you safe and comfortable.

Types of Anesthesia

General Anesthesia

General anesthesia is a carefully managed state of deep sleep, ensuring you remain completely unaware and free from pain throughout your procedure. Because your body is in state of absolute relaxation, your breathing is gently supported by advanced medical technology. Your anesthesia team monitors every breath and heartbeat with total precision, keeping you perfectly safe and comfortable until you wake up.

Regional Anesthesia

Regional anesthesia precisely numbs a specific part of the body requiring surgery by delivering medication near the targeted pathway of nerves. This creates a temporary, complete relief from sensation and movement in that localized area. Often paired with light sedation to keep you relaxed, regional anesthesia is also exceptionally effective at minimizing post-operative discomfort. The most frequent applications include peripheral nerve blocks, epidurals, and spinals.

Peripheral Nerve Block – A Peripheral Nerve Block is when local anesthetic medication is injected around specific nerves that supply signals to a specific part of the body like an arm or leg. This results in temporary loss of sensation and motor function to that part of the body. An ultrasound is used to visualize the injection in real time.

‍Epidural Anesthesia – Epidural Anesthesia is when a catheter is placed into the epidural space of your back to allow infusion of a local anesthetic medication into that space. It bathes the nerve roots that come out of the spinal cord which results in a gradual loss of sensation and possible motor function below the area where the catheter was placed. This effect can last for as long as the medication is infused in this space. Epidurals are often used to provide pain relief after surgery for several days.

‍Spinal Anesthesia – Spinal Anesthesia is produced by injecting local anesthetic medication directly into the space where the spinal cord is located. This results in temporary loss of sensation and motor function below the level of injection.

Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC)

MAC is another name for Monitored Anesthesia Care. It encompasses a wide spectrum of sedation from lightly sedated and awake all the way to asleep but responsive to arousal depending on the procedure. What differentiates MAC anesthesia from other sedation is that it must be provided by qualified anesthesia personnel and must include monitoring of all critical bodily functions. In addition to giving sedation and pain medications, the provider must be able to diagnose and treat any problems that may occur during the procedure and the provider must be prepared and qualified to convert to general anesthesia if the need arises. Lastly, it requires a pre-operative evaluation before surgery and post procedure anesthesia management in addition to intra-operative sedation and care.