Download Anesthesia Instructions - NYC Surgical Associates

Flagship Office:
60th
14 E
Street, Suite 501
New York, NY 10022
Corporate Office:
555 Passaic Avenue
West Caldwell, NJ 07006
P 888-286-6600 | F 800-565-9415 | www.nycsurgical.net
Post-Surgical: If you are having general anesthesia or IV sedation
You cannot have anything to eat or drink after midnight the day prior to your surgery. If you do, you will
not be able to have sedation or any sort of medication that alters your level of consciousness significantly.
You can still have local anesthetic and your procedure.
You will absolutely need someone to travel with you, or travel by car service, as for a few hours you may
not be completely alert, unable to take public transportation, and definitely unable to drive a car for a
minimum of 24 hours. It is recommended someone stay with you for 24 hours following your procedure.
In most cases, you will be fully alert the following day, and your ability to resume your daily activity will
be a function of your surgical procedure, not your anesthesia.
Most often, if you have any medical issues, the appropriate laboratory testing, and diagnostic tests will be
ordered ahead of time. Any specific instructions will be given by your surgeon.
Fainting
Fainting is a medical emergency till proven otherwise. If you experience symptoms of fainting such as:
nausea, giddiness, excessive sweating, dim visions, rapid heartbeat, palpitations sit down or lie down
immediately. If sitting, position head between knees. If lying elevate feet above head level, you should
become normal within a few minutes. If not, seek medical help!
Please call us at 888-286-6600 for any postoperative urgent issues or email your treating physician at any
time for questions.
Types of anesthesia:
During surgery, you will be given some form of anesthesia - medication administered for the relief of pain and sensation
during surgery. The type and dosage of anesthesia is administered by the anesthesiologist. When a patient faces surgery,
he or she will meet with the anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist before the procedure. The anesthesiologist will review
the patient's medical condition and history to plan the appropriate anesthetic for surgery.
1062 Northern Blvd
Roslyn, NY 11576
145 W Montauk Highway
Hampton Bays, NY 11946
150 South Pearl Street
Pearl River, NY 10965
ALL PROCEDURES ARE DONE IN OUR STATE OF THE ART FACILITY
Flagship Office:
60th
14 E
Street, Suite 501
New York, NY 10022
Corporate Office:
555 Passaic Avenue
West Caldwell, NJ 07006
P 888-286-6600 | F 800-565-9415 | www.nycsurgical.net
There are various forms of anesthesia. The type of anesthesia you will receive will depend on the type of surgery and
your medical condition. Usually, an anesthesiologist will administer a sedative in addition to the anesthetic. The different
types of anesthesia include the following:
local anesthesia - local anesthesia is an anesthetic agent given to temporarily stop the sense of pain in a particular area of
the body. A patient remains conscious during a local anesthetic. For minor surgery, a local anesthetic can be administered
via injection to the site. However, when a large area needs to be numbed, or if a local anesthetic injection will not
penetrate deep enough, physicians may use regional anesthetics.

regional anesthesia - regional anesthesia is used to numb only the portion of the body which will receive the
surgical procedure. Usually an injection of local anesthetic is given in the area of nerves that provide feeling to
that part of the body. There are several forms of regional anesthetics, two of which are described below:

spinal anesthetic - a spinal aesthetic is used for lower abdominal, pelvic, rectal, or lower extremity surgery. This
type of anesthetic involves injecting a single dose of the anesthetic medication into the subarachnoid space,
which surrounds the spinal cord. The injection is made into the lower back, below the end of the spinal cord, and
causes numbness in the lower body. In some situations, such as a prolonged procedure, continuous spinal
anesthesia may be used. A thin catheter (hollow tube) is left in place in the subarachnoid space for additional
injections of the anesthetic agent, which ensures numbness during the length of the procedure.

epidural anesthetic - the epidural anesthetic is similar to a spinal anesthetic and is commonly used for surgery of
the lower limbs and during labor and childbirth. This type of anesthesia involves continually infusing an
anesthetic medication through a thin catheter (hollow tube). The catheter is placed into the space that surrounds
the spinal cord in the lower back (just outside the subarachnoid space), causing numbness in the lower body.
Epidural anesthesia may also be used for chest surgical procedures. In this case, the anesthetic medication is
injected at a higher location in the back to numb the chest and abdominal areas.

general anesthesia - general anesthesia is an anesthetic used to induce unconsciousness during surgery. The
medication is either inhaled through a breathing mask or tube, or administered through an intravenous line (a
thin plastic tube inserted into a vein, usually in the patient's forearm). A breathing tube may be inserted into the
windpipe to maintain proper breathing during surgery. Once the surgery is complete, the anesthesiologist ceases
the anesthetic and the patient wakes up in the recovery room.
1062 Northern Blvd
Roslyn, NY 11576
145 W Montauk Highway
Hampton Bays, NY 11946
150 South Pearl Street
Pearl River, NY 10965
ALL PROCEDURES ARE DONE IN OUR STATE OF THE ART FACILITY
About your anesthesiologist:
Anesthesiologists are the physicians trained to administer and manage anesthesia given during a surgical procedure. They
are also responsible for managing and treating changes in your critical life functions - breathing, heart rate, and blood
pressure - as they are affected by the surgery being performed. Further, they immediately diagnose and treat any medical
problems that might arise during and immediately after surgery.
Prior to surgery, the anesthesiologist will evaluate the patient's medical condition and formulate an anesthetic plan which
takes that patient's physical condition into account. It is vital that the anesthesiologist knows as much about your medical
history, lifestyle, and medications as possible. Some particularly important information he/she needs to know includes
the following:

reactions to previous anesthetics
If you have ever had a bad reaction to an anesthetic agent, you need to be able to describe exactly what the
reaction was and what your specific symptoms were. Give the anesthesiologist as much detail as possible, such
as you felt nauseated when you woke up or the amount of time it took you to wake up, etc.

current herbal supplements
It has recently been learned that certain herbal products, commonly taken by millions of Americans, may cause
changes in heart rate and blood pressure, and may increase bleeding in some patients. The popular herbs gingko
biloba (an herb used for many conditions associated with aging, including poor circulation and memory loss),
garlic (an herb often used for cardiovascular conditions and to help prevent colds, flu, and other infectious
diseases), ginger, and ginseng (used as a general tonic to increase overall body tone; considered helpful in
elevating energy levels and resistance to stress) may lead to excess blood loss by preventing blood clots from
forming. In addition, St. John's wort (a popular herb used for mild to moderate depression) and kava kava
(another popular herb used for depression and to elevate mood) may prolong the sedative effect of the
anesthetic. The American Society of Anesthesiologists advises patients planning to have surgery to stop taking
all herbal supplements at least two to three weeks prior to surgery to rid the body of these substances.

any known allergies
Discussing any known allergies with the anesthesiologist is very important, as some anesthetic drugs trigger
cross-allergies, particularly in persons who have allergies to eggs and soy products. Allergies to both foods and
drugs should be identified.

recent and/or current prescription and over-the-counter medications
It is also important to let your surgeon and anesthesiologist know about both prescription medications and overthe-counter medications you are taking, or have recently taken. Certain prescription medications, such as
coumadin, a blood thinner, must be discontinued for some time prior to surgery. In addition, as many people
take a daily aspirin to prevent heart attack, and certain dietary supplements, physicians need to be aware of these
habits, as they can prolong bleeding and interfere with muscle relaxants used by anesthesiologists.

cigarette smoking and drinking
Cigarette smoking and alcohol can affect your body just as strongly (and sometimes more strongly) than many
prescription medications you may be taking. Because of the way cigarettes and alcohol affect the lungs, heart,
liver, and blood, these substances can change the way an anesthetic drug works during surgery. It is important to
let your surgeon and anesthesiologist know about your past, recent, and current consumption of these substances
prior to surgery.
Undergoing surgery can be a good motivator to quit smoking. Most hospitals are smoke-free and physicians,
nurses, and other health professionals will be there to give you support. In addition, you will heal and recover
faster, especially in the incision area, or if your operation involves any bones. Quitting smoking also reduces
your risk of heart disease and cancer.

use of street drugs (such as marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, etc.)
Patients are often reluctant to discuss matters of illegal drug consumption, but you should remember that all
conversations between you and your surgeon and anesthesiologist are confidential. It is crucial that he/she know
about your past, recent, and current consumption of these substances. It is important to keep in mind that the
only interest your physician has in this information is learning enough about your physical condition to provide
you with the safest anesthesia possible
Meeting the anesthesiologist before the surgery:
Because anesthesia and surgery affect every system in the body, the anesthesiologist will conduct a preoperative
interview. During this interview, the anesthesiologist will review your medical history, as well as discuss the information
mentioned above. He/she will also inform you about what to expect during your surgery and discuss anesthetic choices
with you.
If you have not personally met during the preoperative interview, the anesthesiologist will meet with you immediately
before your surgery to review your entire medical history as well as results of any medical tests previously conducted. By
this time, he/she will have a clear understanding of your anesthetic needs.
How are pre-existing medical conditions handled during surgery?
If you have a pre-existing medical condition such as diabetes, asthma, heart problems, arthritis, etc., your
anesthesiologist will have been alerted to this and will be well prepared to treat these conditions during your surgery, as
well as immediately afterward. Anesthesiologists are trained to handle sudden medical problems related to the surgery, as
well as any chronic conditions that may need attention during the procedure.
How is the patient's condition monitored during surgery?
Monitoring is one of the most important roles the anesthesiologist handles during surgery. Second-by-second observation
of even the slightest changes in a wide range of body functions gives the anesthesiologist a tremendous amount of
information about the patient's well-being. In addition to directing your anesthesia, the anesthesiologist will manage vital
functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, heart rhythm, body temperature, and breathing. He/she will also be
responsible for fluid and blood replacement, when necessary. Sophisticated technology is used to monitor every organ
system and its functioning during surgery
In the unlikely situation you develop any problems after surgery such as high fever > 101F, severe nausea or vomiting,
worsening pain, or altered mental status, let us know as soon as possible by calling our toll free number for the physician
on call.
We look forward to taking excellent care of you at NYC Surgical Associates.