WELCOME TO
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Administration
Admissions
Auxiliary
Business Office
Job Opportunities
Materials Management
Medical Records
Patient Handbook
Volunteers
VISITOR
INFORMATION
General Information
Driving Directions
Local Links
Lodging
Local Newspapers
Hospital Visiting Hours
 |
Message
From Our President |
DOCTORS
Physician Directory
PATIENT
SERVICES
Ambulance & Transportation
Services
Autologous Blood Donations
Bone Densitometry
Cardiac Rehab
Cardiopulmonary
Critical Care Unit
Dialysis
Dietary / Dietitian
Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT)
Emergency Medicine
Hospice
Home Health
Internal Medicine
Laboratory
Lithotripsy:
For Kidney Stones
Mammotome Breast Biopsy
Massage Therapy
Maternity Center
Medical Surgical Unit
MRI
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Health/Wellness
Orthopedics
Outpatient Therapy
Clinic
Pastoral Care
Patient Handbook
Pediatrics
Pediatric
Therapy Clinic
Personal
Care Home
Physician
Directory
Physical Therapy
Podiatry
Private Care
Pulmonary Rehab
Radiology
Same Day Surgery
Sensory Integration Therapy
Skilled Nursing Unit
Sleep Studies
Social Services
Spiral CT Scanner
Speech Therapy
Stress Echocardiography
Surgery and Anesthesia
Therapy Clinic
Transportation Services
Urinary
Incontinence Therapy
Urology
Wellness
Women's Health
COMMUNITY
Community Links, etc.
Hospice
Speaker's Bureau
LONG
TERM CARE
Skilled Nursing Unit
Dietitian
Personal Care Home
Private Care
Nursing Assistant Training
EASY
EMAIL ACCESS
Hospital
President
VP
Human Resources
VP
Patient Services
VP
Finance
VP
Long Term Care
Medical
Staff Affairs Director
In-Home
Care Administrator
Marketing
Director
Wellness
Coordinators
Business
Office
Performance
Improvement
Library of General
Healthcare Information
CONTACT
MEMORIAL HOSPITAL:
info@memorialhospital.org
Copyright 2005
Memorial Hospital, Inc. Towanda, Pennsylvania
All Rights Reserved
 |
Your
Guide To Having
Surgery and Anesthesia
TYPES OF ANESTHESIA:
BEFORE
SURGERY
If you are requiring surgery, your surgical/anesthetic team at Memorial
Hospital will be available to you and your family during the preoperative,
intraoperative, and postoperative phases of your surgical experience.
PREOPERATIVE
PREPARATION
Preoperative Anesthetic Visit
At the time of your preoperative visit, your anesthesia team will talk
to you regarding many pertinent aspects of your health. They will inquire
about your present surgery, your post surgical and anesthetic history
and they will ask questions regarding your past and present medical status.
They will want to know about any medications that your are presently taking.
Also, they may want to discuss any allergies that you have. At this time,
appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic tests may be requested.
Examples of these are:
- Electrocardiogram
- Chest X-Ray
- Blood Work
You will be advised and encouraged to ask any questions that you or your
family members may have.
PREOPERATIVE
VISIT - ANESTHESIA CHOICES
Your anesthesia team will discuss the various anesthetic options to be
considered for your surgery. Your anesthetic team will discuss benefits,
advantages, limitations, surgeons preferences, and your personal preference.
Patients will be advised to limit, or preferably stop smoking. You will
be advised that elective anesthesia is best administered (general or regional)
when the patient is not having a concurrent infection of any kind. Examples
of such are:
- Upper Respiratory Infections
- Flu-Type Symptoms Like Fever or Chills
- Chest Congestion
- History (Asthma), Etc.
Patients who are wheezing preoperatively may need to be rescheduled if
the wheezing is deemed to be of concern to the anesthetic team or surgeon.
PREOPERATIVE
VISIT - PREPARING FOR SURGERY
The anesthetic permit will be obtained at this time. Take this opportunity
to ask any and all questions that may come to mind. Also, immediate family
members if present during this preoperative interview may ask any questions
that they may have. The patient will be given oral and written instructions
to be NPO. This means that you must not eat or drink anything, not even
water or chewing gum, after midnight the night before your surgery. Be
advised that if you do eat or drink after midnight your surgery may be
canceled or delayed. Special NPOinstructions may be given to parents
with young children who are to have surgery and these instructions will
be dealt with on a one on one basis as the need arises. Also, you may
be instructed to take certain medicines the morning of surgery with a
sip of water and this would also be dealt with on a case by case basis
and the patient will be instructed as needed. Oral and written instructions
will be provided.
YOUR
ROLE IN PREPARING FOR SURGERY
Pre-Op Check List
1. If you drink liquor, beer or wine, stop drinking at least two
days prior to surgery.
2. Do not eat or drink anything as reminded earlier after midnight
the night before your surgery.
3. If you develop a fever, cold, rash or anything that may be of
concern to you call your doctor or the anesthesia department prior to
your surgery at 268-2305.
4. Do not drive home after surgery of any kind. Please arrange
for someone to pick you up and drive you home.
5. Inquire about any special instructions that you may be concerned
about or your family members may be concerned about at the time of your
pre-op visit.
6. Bring your advanced medical directive if you have one or make
the anesthesia team aware of any Medic Alert bands that you may have at
the time prior to surgery.
7. If you smoke, stop or at least cut down prior to surgery and
NO smoking after midnight.
THE
OPERATING ROOM
The operating room is staffed by a team of highly trained professionals.
These individuals are there for you and are very sensitive to your needs
and concerns. The surgical environment is maintained to be as sterile
and safe as possible, hence, the reason for particular clothes, head ware,
eye wear, and masks. This operating room team consists of:
- Anesthesia
- Surgeon
- Circulating Nurse
- Assistant to the Surgeon
- Scrub Nurse
-Nurses Aides
EQUIPMENT
IN THE OPERATING ROOM
The operating room consists of a specialized lighting system that projects
a very bright light onto the surgical bed. This bed is designed to permit
surgery to be performed in many different positions. The anesthesia machine
is located at the head of the bed. This very specialized and highly maintained
machine is used to assist in the delivery of anesthesia. Also in this
area are ancillary pieces of equipment, such as monitoring devices. As
surgical procedures become more complex and as more operations are performed
on elderly, newborns, and other high risk patients, our specialized professionals
use this equipment in administering anesthesia and monitoring/maintaining
life functions during surgery.
TYPES OF ANESTHESIA
1. GENERAL ANESTHESIA
This type of anesthesia is used for many types of surgery. The entire
body, including the brain, is anesthetized. The patient has no awareness,
feels nothing and remembers nothing of the surgical experience. General
anesthesia may be given by injection or by mask or both. While under anesthesia
the surgery is performed and your vital signs such as heart rate, blood
pressure, and respiratory function are monitored very closely. Your breathing
will be controlled using an endotracheal tube. Once your surgery is completed,
this tube is removed as you are waking up and breathing adequately. You
will be kept in the OR suite until your anesthetic team feels you are
adequately awake and responsive enough. Then you will be transported to
the recovery room where your vital signs once again will be monitored
closely. There may be a period of confusion as you awake from your anesthesia
and you may experience a sore throat. These common symptoms are considered
normal. Once you are alert and begin to have some pain relief you will
be discharged from the recovery room.
2. REGIONAL ANESTHESIA
Regional anesthesia, spinal/epidural is achieved by injecting a specified
specific amount of local anesthetic directly to the area where the nerves
are located supplying that region of the body where the surgery is to
be performed. This is accomplished by either sitting the patient up or
with the patient on their side. The back is cleansed and a small amount
of a numbing agent is injected, then a very fine needle is used to inject
the local anesthesia. Your legs will become heavy and numb then often,
after a period of time, you will not be able to move and the anesthesia/surgery
team will position you for your surgery as needed. Regional anesthesia
provides muscle relaxation as well as pain relief that may last several
hours after the surgery hence reducing the need for additional post-op
pain relief. This technique is accomplished without the loss of consciousness
and less incidents of disorientation. This advantage is especially favorable
for those patients undergoing childbirth that desire to be awake and participate
in the delivery of their child during a caesarean section. Epidural and
spinal anesthesia can be used for most surgeries below the umbilicus (belly
button). Common surgeries that are performed with the use of epidural
and spinal anesthesia are:
a) Biopsies or skin or bone below the belly button
b) Knee surgery such as arthroscope or ACL repairs.
c) Hernia surgery.
d) Cesarean sections.
e) Surgery on the foot or the leg.
f) Repair of fractures such as hip fractures, leg fractures, foot
fractures.
g) Anal and rectal surgery.
h) Total replacement surgeries such as total hips and knee replacements.
i) Urological procedures of most kinds.
j) Gynecological procedures of most kinds.
During regional anesthesia you may be administered medication through
the intravenous that will enable you to relax or feel calm or even sleep
during the procedure if you so choose. Some patients who prefer may be
totally awake and watch the surgery if it is that kind of surgery that
is done with a telescope and camera. Of importance, the patient is reminded
to follow the same preoperative precautions, concerns and recommendations
that were presented for a patient who may undergo a general anesthetic.
3. THE BIER BLOCK
This type of regional anesthesia is reserved for surgery of the arm
or hand. It involves placement of the local anesthetic utilizing a special
needle in the involved extremity and the placement of a tourniquet above
the elbow. This tourniquet is inflated prior to the injection of the local
anesthetic so as to keep the injected anesthetic within the arm. This
technique is best used in surgery that can be accomplished within 30 to
60 minutes. Along with the tourniquet you can be given medications through
an intravenous line that will enable you to relax and feel calm and even
sleepy. Your arm may remain numb for several hours after your surgery
is completed. During this procedure it is important that the patient is
reminded to follow the same preoperative instructions, concerns and recommendations
that were presented for a patient undergoing a general anesthetic as well.
4. LOCAL ANESTHESIA / MONITORED ANESTHESIA
/ CONSCIOUS SEDATION
This type of anesthesia involves the injection of the local anesthetic
agent directly into the area requiring surgery or a topical spray. This
local block provides the needed pain relief to perform the necessary surgery.
Along with this type of anesthesia, the patient can be given medication
through the intravenous route that will enable the patient to relax, feel
sedate and calm during the surgery. Examples of the surgery that can be
performed utilizing this technique are:
- Hernia Repair
- Foot Surgery
- Biopsies, Breast, or Lymph Node
- Endoscopy Procedure
POSTOPERATIVE
CARE
After your surgery you will be taken to the recovery room, also called
the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit). This is where you will recover from
your anesthesia. You will be closely monitored as the anesthesia wears
off. When you are ready you will return to your room or you will be discharged
to your home depending on the type of surgery you have experienced. After
surgery your surgeon will discuss with you any special post-op instructions
or concerns. These instructions will be given to you on a written form.
Related Pages:
