An anesthesiologist is a physician with specialized training and knowledge of anesthesia who is skilled in bringing that knowledge to the care of a particular patient. The anesthesiologist will evaluate your child prior to surgery, provide safe anesthesia during the surgery, and prescribe individualized medication necessary for relief of any pain after surgery. As a specialist your anesthesiologist will submit a separate bill for services rendered.

To make certain that your child is in the best possible health prior to surgery, both the surgeon and anesthesiologist will ask about the child's health, family history, and previous experiences with surgery. Plans for anesthetic care will be discussed with you prior to surgery and, at that time, you and your child should talk about any questions or concerns you might have about the surgery or the anesthetic.

Preparation
The anesthesiologist, the surgeon, and the parents work together ahead of time to make the child's visit to the hospital or outpatient facility as pleasant as possible. If frightened, a child can be assured that that is understandable. While comforting the child, however, the parents, in spite of their own anxiety, should convey a calm confidence that things will be all right. The child should be informed as much as possible about the upcoming experience. Any questions should be answered honestly and calmly.

Although not always required, sedation may be given just prior to surgery. This may be given by mouth, injection, or rectal suppository.

Types of Anesthesia
Pain control is achieved by local anesthesia, regional anesthesia, or general anesthesia. In local and regional anesthesia medicine is given to relieve pain in the area where surgery is to be done while permitting consciousness to persist. In general anesthesia the patient is unconscious. In adults and older children, anesthesia is usually started with an intravenous injection. Younger children are usually allowed to breathe the anesthetic through a mask until asleep. This is called an inhalational or mask induction. The latter avoids any needle stick while the child is awake.

Regional anesthesia provides pain relief to a specific area of the body. The most common type of regional anesthesia used in children is called epidural anesthesia. Medicine is delivered just outside the spinal sac in the lower back. The medicine will dull the nerves and block feeling in the lower part of your child's body. It may take 15 or 20 minutes for full numbness to occur. If regional anesthesia is used, it may be combined with intravenous sedation or inhaled agents. The anesthesiologist chooses the method of anesthesia based on the specific evaluation of your child.

Children awaken from anesthesia at varying rates. Some may remain sleepy for several hours. Nausea and vomiting sometimes occur as side effects of surgery and anesthesia.

"Same-day Surgery"
"Same-day" or "outpatient" surgery is performed without admission to a hospital and is becoming more common. Since your child would arrive at the outpatient facility on the day of surgery directly from home, it is particularly important to closely follow preoperative instructions. For food and fluid intake, these are the guidelines:

It is the hope of Loudon Anesthesia Associates that the above information will be helpful in lessening any anxiety you or your child might have about surgery and anesthesia. Please let us know of any questions you have whether before, during, or after surgery.