Your Anaesthetic
It is quite normal to feel anxious about having an anaesthetic.
This page explains the process of having an anaesthetic and answers some frequently asked questions.
1. Before the day of the surgery
Depending on your medical history and the proposed operation, you may need to attend a pre-operative assessment clinic run by a specialist nurse. At this visit you will be asked questions regarding your general health. You should bring your current medications (or a list of them) with you.
The assessment may involve listening to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope, performing some simple investigations such as a heart tracing (electrocardiogram or ‘ECG’) or blood tests. If any significant problems are identified this information will be forwarded to your anaesthetist.
The purpose of this clinic assessment is to ensure that we tailor the anaesthetic to your individual needs. A thorough assessment can help to avoid any unnecessary cancellations on the day of surgery.
2. On the day of surgery
Meeting your anaesthetist
Your anaesthetist will come to see you prior to the operation and go through the pre-operative assessment questionnaire with you. They may need to listen to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope. Your anaesthetist will discuss the type of anaesthetic best suited for your operation and what to expect when you reach the anaesthetic room. This is the ideal moment to discuss any questions or concerns you have which were not covered during your pre-assessment appointment. Very occasionally your operation may need to be postponed if your medical condition on the day means that it would not be safe to proceed.
What happens in the anaesthetic room?
After being accompanied to the anaesthetic room by a ward nurse, you will be met by your anaesthetist and their assistant. After a check-in procedure, you will have monitoring applied to you. This will include heart monitoring (ECG stickers on the your chest), oxygen level monitoring (a plastic finger clip) and a blood pressure cuff on your upper arm. You will also need a ‘drip’ or cannula (plastic tube inserted into a vein, often on the back of your hand) before your anaesthetic starts. Insertion of the cannula might be very slightly uncomfortable. If you are particularly concerned about this please let your anaesthetist know beforehand as it will normally be possible to put some local anaesthetic gel on the skin to minimise any discomfort.
Occasionally it may be necessary to place extra monitoring. If this is the case you anaesthetist will have discussed this with you in the pre-operative visit.
If you are having a local anaesthetic block, then this is the place where the anaesthetist will perform the injection for you.
What is the difference between a general anaesthetic and a regional anaesthetic?
If you are having an operation you will need some form of anaesthetic. Some patients will be unconscious (general anaesthetic), while others stay awake and are kept pain free with a local anaesthetic injection. The term used to describe numbing a region of your body is commonly called a regional block.
Depending on the surgery you are having, the anaesthetist may need to numb a relatively small part of your body (simple local anaesthetic injection) or a wider area (e.g. a spinal block).
General Anaesthesia
A general anaesthetic makes you temporarily unconscious. In adults, this is usually given by an injection through a cannula. The anaesthetist stays with you throughout the whole operation, monitoring you very closely and tailoring the anaesthetic to your requirements. At the end of surgery, the anaesthetist will wake you up safely.
3. After the operation
Recovery
After the operation you will be cared for in a recovery area where experienced recovery staff will look after you. They will help to ensure you are comfortable and not feeling sick. You will routinely be given oxygen through a facemask.
How long does the anaesthetic take to wear off completely?
Anaesthetic drugs disappear rapidly from your body so will have minimal effect on your recovery. However you are advised to take things easy for the first 24 hours after an anaesthetic and you should be accompanied by a responsible adult during this time. You should not return to work, operate machinery or drink alcohol for 24 hours after an anaesthetic. You must not drive a car for 36 hours after an anaesthetic. If you have had a regional block you will be given special instructions on the day of surgery.
4. Frequently asked questions
Who gives the anaesthetic?
All BPA anaesthetists are consultant anaesthetists—the highest grade of doctor. They have undertaken long periods of training and passed Royal College examinations identical to physicians and surgeons. The BPA partners cover all surgical specialities in the Reading area 24/7, 365 days a year.
When do I need to stop eating and drinking?
As a general rule you should not eat for six hours before anaesthesia. Clear fluids (water, tea/coffee without milk, fruit squash) may be drunk until two hours before. For safety reasons, it is important that your stomach is empty before you are anaesthetised.
Are general anaesthetics safe?
Yes, they are very safe. The risk of serious complications for a healthy patient is very small indeed. The most common complications include a dry or sore throat, nausea, and light-headedness, which usually settle within 24 hours.
Are regional anaesthetics safe?
Regional anaesthetics such as spinals and epidurals are also very safe. The most common side effect is failure for the block to work completely. The risk of permanent nerve injury is very low indeed, with the estimated risk of permanent harm less than 1 in 20,000.