​THE ANAESTHETIC​

Anaesthesia is a carefully planned medical treatment designed to keep you safe and comfortable during surgery or medical procedures.
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Modern anaesthesia is highly individualised. The type of anaesthetic recommended depends on:
  • Your procedure
  • Your medical history
  • Your medications and allergies
  • Your previous anaesthetic experiences
  • Your preferences where appropriate
Your anaesthetist remains with you throughout the procedure, continuously monitoring and adjusting your anaesthetic care.

Types of Anaesthesia

General Anaesthesia
General anaesthesia produces a controlled state of unconsciousness so that you are completely unaware during surgery.
Anaesthetic medications are administered through a vein, inhaled gases, or a combination of both. Throughout the procedure, your breathing, heart function, blood pressure and oxygen levels are continuously monitored.
Many patients are surprised by how quickly modern general anaesthesia works and how smoothly they wake afterwards.
Common temporary effects after a general anaesthetic may include:
  • Drowsiness
  • Sore throat
  • Nausea
  • Mild dizziness
  • Fatigue

Sedation
Sedation involves medications that help you feel relaxed and comfortable during procedures.
The depth of sedation can vary from:
  • Light relaxation
  • Drowsiness with reduced awareness
  • Deep sedation
Some patients remember parts of the procedure, while others remember very little afterwards.
Sedation is commonly used for:
  • Endoscopy
  • Minor procedures
  • Some ophthalmic procedures
  • Certain interventional or diagnostic procedures
Even with sedation, you will still be closely monitored throughout.

Regional Anaesthesia
Regional anaesthesia involves temporarily numbing a specific area of the body using local anaesthetic medications.
This may include:
  • Peripheral nerve blocks
  • Spinal anaesthesia
  • Epidural anaesthesia
Regional techniques can provide excellent pain relief during and after surgery and may reduce the need for opioid medications.
In many cases, regional anaesthesia is combined with general anaesthesia or sedation to improve comfort and recovery.
Further information is available on the Regional Anaesthesia page.

Monitoring and Safety
Throughout your procedure, specialised monitoring equipment is used continuously.
Monitoring may include:
  • Heart rate and rhythm
  • Blood pressure
  • Oxygen levels
  • Breathing and ventilation
  • Temperature
  • Depth of anaesthesia where appropriate
Anaesthesia today is extremely safe, with modern medications, monitoring systems and training significantly improving patient safety over recent decades.

Risks and Complications
All medical procedures involve some degree of risk, including anaesthesia.
For most healthy patients undergoing routine surgery, serious anaesthetic complications are uncommon. However, risks vary depending on:
  • Age
  • General health
  • Existing medical conditions
  • Type of surgery
  • Complexity of the procedure
Common minor side effects may include:
  • Nausea
  • Sore throat
  • Bruising around IV sites
  • Temporary dizziness or fatigue
More serious complications are rare, and every effort is made to minimise risk through careful assessment, monitoring and evidence-based practice.