What is Anaesthesia?
You are given an anaesthetic when you have surgery so that you're comfortable during the operation. There are different types of anaesthesia and the type you receive will depend on the type of surgery you are having and how long it will take.
Your anaesthetic will be given to you by a specialist doctor called an Anaesthetist.
Anaesthesia care falls into three parts: preoperative visit, care during surgery and postoperative care in the recovery room.
Preoperative Assessment Clinic
The preoperative assessment clinic is where patients are assessed prior to planned surgery. Clinics are tailored to the patient and you may be assessed by an Anaesthetist, a specialised Nurse, or both. Preoperative assessment ensures that you are fit for surgery and have the information you require in regards to surgery and discharge. Occasionally we will counsel people that surgery is not in their best interests, if that is indeed the case.
At the Preoperative Assessment Clinic we will:
- Discuss and document your health history
- Take your blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturations, weight and height
- May listen to your heart and lungs
- Explain the process of care in the operating theatre and discuss possible anaesthetic and pain relief options. If an operation is deemed inappropriate we will discuss options to manage going forwards.
- Discuss how you are going to manage when you get home
- You may require an ECG (tracing of your heart), blood tests, swabs and urine samples.
- You may also require further investigations or medical optimisation before proceeding to surgery - which we will instigate
Care During Surgery
During the operation the anaesthetist's main roles are as follows:
- to keep you comfortable
- to keep you safe
Postoperative Care
When your operation is over, you will be taken to a special recovery area where your condition will be monitored as you wake up from the anaesthetic.
If you need a bespoke plan to make you comfortable on the ward the Anaesthetic team provides 24/7 cover to help achieve this.
More information can be found on our college website:
About anaesthesia | ANZCA
Where to find us: See the Rotorua Hospital map here.