What is Anaesthesia?
You are given an anaesthetic when you have surgery so that you don’t feel pain 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. Preoperative assessment ensures that the patient is fit for surgery and that they have information they require in regards to surgery and discharge.
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
- 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
Care During Surgery
During the operation the anaesthetist's main roles are as follows:
- to prevent pain
- to monitor oxygenation
- to monitor ventilation
- to monitor circulation
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.
Where to find us: See the Rotorua Hospital map here.