Meet the Anesthetic Team

A team composed by an anesthesiologist and a nurse anesthetist will administer your anesthesia. You will meet both of them the day of your surgery. Should you wish to have any questions or issues clarified prior to this time, please address them to your surgeon. He/she may arrange that you may have these questions clarified by an anesthesiologist either by phone or in person.

Your pre-anesthetic visit prior to surgery

Some time before the date of your surgery, your surgeon will request a history and physical examination to be done by your primary physician. The pre-anesthetic visit is usually done the day of surgery by one of our anesthesiologists. The purpose of the visit is to obtain from you further details about your medical history, as well as to clarify and answer any questions that you may have regarding anesthesia. Based on this information your anesthesiologist may ask for further tests in addition to those obtained by your primary physician. This visit is necessary so that the anesthesiologist may establish if you are in optimum condition to undergo the surgical procedure and the anesthetic involved. Additionally, this will facilitate your anesthesiologist to optimize your anesthetic according to your needs. Your surgery will be postponed if there are any issues that appear to interfere with the safety of anesthetic administration for your type of surgery.

Common Patient Questions

Food/ Drink before Surgery
We require that all patients (age 12 and above) refrain from any solid food after midnight before the day of surgery. Should you have surgery scheduled for later during the day, you may have clear liquids in the morning. No food is allowed the day of surgery due to the possibility that your surgery may be moved to an earlier time. Clear liquids include those which you can see through: water, black coffee and such. Milk, orange juice, or coffee with cream is not a clear liquid.

Medications before surgery
We recommend that you take most of your medications the day of your surgery. Your surgeon may stop some of your medications for a certain period of time prior to surgery due to a variety of reasons. If you are a diabetic, you should follow the directions given by your primary physician. If you have a lung disorder requiring the usage of inhalers, then you should continue them. It is useful that you bring your medications along with you to the hospital. This would clarify any questions that may come up. You will receive medications from our hospital pharmacy while you are admitted. Prior to surgery one of your family members may take your medications back home. If you use any herbal therapy we recommend that you inform your anesthesiologist of the type, amount and time frame of usage of the herbal agents.

Smoking
Smoking cessation is advised for 24 hours; this will improve your body's ability to carry oxygen to your tissues. Overall, this increases your safety.

Chewing Gum
Please refrain from chewing gum the day of your surgery. This increases your stomach's acid secretion, which may affect your safety.

Intravenous Access
In general, all patients receiving anesthesia will have an intravenous. This will be started in the preoperative area by one of our nurse anesthetists or an anesthesiologist. The intravenous is necessary for a multitude of reasons. It will give you hydration to compensate for your fasting period. It will allow your anesthesiologist to administer any sedative drugs, which will facilitate your relaxation and removal of the normal anxiety associated with a surgical procedure. Furthermore, it will permit your team to administer the needed pre-surgical antibiotics, if needed, as well as part of your initial anesthetic medications. Your intravenous will also provide one avenue of pain medication administration both during your surgery as well as post-operatively. Finally, the IV will allow your medical team to administer any medications needed to treat any unforeseen, emergent conditions. For certain type of surgeries your anesthesiologist may establish the need for invasive monitoring. These monitors may also be placed in the preoperative area, after the administration of sedation.