Frequently Asked Questions & Facts About Anesthesia
Getting Started
When your surgeon works with IAA, our anesthesiologist will be happy to answer all of your questions and explain their role in your operation, step by step. You can speak with your surgeon as well and have them recommend an anesthesiologist who specializes in procedures like yours.
Finding the best anesthesiologist for you and your situation is easy. Get to know us. We look forward to meeting you.
Please contact Integrated Anesthesia Associates (IAA) if you’d like to discuss surgical anesthesia with one of our Board Certified Anesthesiologists.
With a staff of more than 100 highly skilled anesthesiologists, you can rest assured that a qualified anesthesia team of specialists from Integrated Anesthesia Associates will be providing you and your family with the services and outcome you expect and deserve.
Please contact Integrated Anesthesia Associates (IAA) if you’d like to discuss surgical anesthesia with one of our Board Certified Anesthesiologists.
Local Anesthesia
In local anesthesia, the anesthetic drug is usually injected into the tissue to numb the specific location of your body having minor surgery, (for example, the hand or foot).
Monitored Anesthesia
With monitored anesthesia (also called “light sedation”) an anesthesiologist provides close patient monitoring for a patient receiving local or regional anesthesia during surgery. Intravenous sedation is often used. The patient is typically awake but in a condition that ranges from relaxed to groggy. This type of anesthesia is frequently used with minor surgeries.
Regional Anesthesia
In regional anesthesia, your anesthesiologist injects near a cluster of nerves to numb the area of your body that requires surgery. You may remain awake or you may be given a sedative. Either way, you will not see or feel the actual surgery take place. There are several kinds of regional anesthesia. Two of the most frequently used are spinal anesthesia and epidural anesthesia, which are produced by injections made with great exactness into the appropriate areas of the back. Both are typically used during childbirth and prostate surgery.
General Anesthesia
With general anesthesia, you are unconscious and have no awareness or sensation. General anesthetic drugs include gases and vapors inhaled through a breathing mask or tube and medications introduced through a vein. During anesthesia, your anesthesiologist will carefully monitor and control your major bodily functions via sophisticated equipment. A breathing tube may be inserted through your mouth and frequently into the windpipe to maintain proper breathing during this period. The length and level of anesthesia is calculated and constantly adjusted with great precision. At the conclusion of surgery, your anesthesiologist will reverse the process and you will regain consciousness in the recovery room.
Common Questions
Please contact Integrated Anesthesia Associates if you’d like to discuss surgical anesthesia with one of our Board Certified Anesthesiologists.
High reliability is our number one goal and fortunately, adverse anesthesiology events are very rare. You can rest assured that your IAA anesthesiologist will take every precaution to prevent an accident from occurring, just as you do when driving a car or crossing the street.
Since your specific risks may vary depending on your procedure and your condition, we suggest you ask speak candidly with your anesthesiologist about the risks and ask any questions or voice any concerns you or your loved ones may have.
Some effects may be subtle and less critical, but for anesthesiologists it is better to anticipate a possible reaction than to react to an unexpected situation. That is why it is very important to tell your doctor about everything you normally take before you have surgery.