Instructions for Surgery

  • Follow all instructions given to you by your surgeon
  • Do not eat or drink anything at least 8 hours prior to your surgery unless specifically instructed to do so by your physician.  This is very important to your safety during surgery.
  • Remove all jewelry before arriving at your designated surgical facility
  • Do not smoke the day of surgery
  • Take only the medications you are instructed to take by the preop clinic or surgeon’s office
  • Please notify your physician if you experience a change in your health prior to surgery such as illness, fever, infection, chest pain, shortness of breath, or passing out.

Patient Satisfaction
Following patient safety, patient satisfaction is our utmost priority.  After your discharge, you may receive a phone call asking you to respond to an anesthesia patient satisfaction survey.  Please take time to respond to the survey and let us know how we did.  Your satisfaction is important to us and we value your feedback.

Types of Anesthesia

Local Anesthesia
Anesthetic medications are injected directly into the area of the surgical site anesthetizing only a very specific area of the body.  This type of anesthesia can only be used in limited surgeries.  Sometimes this type of anesthesia is used in conjunction with intravenous anesthesia to provide amnesia and additional comfort.

Regional Anesthesia
Anesthetic medications are injected around a bundle of nerves or near the spinal cord to anesthetize either a single extremity or the lower half of the body only.  You may be awake or given additional intravenous anesthesia.  Regional anesthesia is commonly used via epidural in labor and delivery to provide for a comfortable labor experience.  Additionally, regional anesthesia may be used only for postoperative pain control while general anesthesia will be used for surgery.

General Anesthesia
General anesthesia is delivered either via inhaled gas or intravenous medication.  During general anesthesia, a patient is completely unconscious unable to experience pain or be aware of what is occurring. Often times general anesthesia requires a breathing tube.

Regardless of the type of anesthesia, all patients’ physiological parameters are closely monitored to ensure a safe anesthetic.