Having Surgery?
What to Expect Before, During and After Your Operation and Anesthesia
Before surgery, an anesthesiologist will meet with you and evaluate your medical condition and formulate an anesthetic plan that is right for you.
During surgery, advanced technology is used to monitor your body's functions, and your anesthesiologist must interpret these sophisticated monitors in order to appropriately diagnose, regulate and treat your body while a personalized, delicate balance of anesthetic medications are administered. In some hospitals, nurse anesthetists may assist the anesthesiologists with the monitoring responsibilities. However, it is the anesthesiologist who is responsible for the interpretation of the monitoring, who make educated medical judgments concerning your responses, and when it is and when it is not appropriate to treat you.
After surgery, your anesthesiologist will reverse the effects of the anesthetic medications you receive, and return you to consciousness once again.
Videos: Anesthesia and You
This two-part video series tells you who an anesthesiologist is, what an anesthesiologist does, and how the anesthesiologist is your lifeline to modern medicine before, during and after surgery. ASA encourages you to watch both of these videos and make a note of any questions you may have, then bring them to your next physician visit or when you meet with your anesthesiologist before surgery.
