Frequently Asked Questions

Q:1. What is Anaesthesia?
Ans: Anaesthesia is given by the use of drugs (medications) that allows surgery (operation) to be performed without pain/ discomfort. It can either be Local/Regional - in which only the exact part/region of the body to be operated upon is made senseless while the patient remains conscious or General (GA) - making the patient completely unconscious.

Q:2. Who is an Anaesthesiologist?
Ans: The Anaesthesiologist is a specialised physician who not only administers anaesthesia but also provides intensive care including control over the patient's vital functions (heart rate, B.P, respiration, temperature etc) during the surgery and at the end of surgery reverses the anaesthesia to make the patient awake and conscious and also makes him pain free.

Q:3. How is general anaesthesia given? Is it by Chloroform?
Ans: By pricking a needle in the vein, glucose (drip) is started. Then the medications/drugs are given through that drip. In small children or in whom it is difficult to find a vein, anaesthesia can be given by asking the patient to inhale the drugs/medication by keeping a mask over patient's face. Chloroform is not used these days because of its side effects. These days we have better agents than chloroform

Q:4. How much time does it take to anaesthetize?
Ans: Preparation of the drugs, checking of anaesthesia machine, monitors & other life saving equipment before the start of any anaesthesia is extremely important & has to be done with utmost care. This is almost like performing the cockpit drill ( checking of the aircraft before flying). This usually takes 15-20 minutes but may take more depending upon the case. However the actual administration of drugs( like the actual take off of aircraft) does not take more than a few seconds or at the most couple of minutes.

Q:5 What is PAC?
Ans: PAC- Preanaesthetic Checkup is the medical check up and certain laboratory investigations done by the anaesthesiologist before the operation to assess the physical status and any other medical problems/ diseases the patient might be suffering from.

Q:6 Why should every patient undergo PAC?
Ans: PAC is done to ensure safety of the patient. It provides an opportunity to treat the patient's other medical diseases, the patient might be suffering from and to make the patient as fit as possible before the operation so that the risk involved in the operation can be minimized.

Q:7. What is the patient's role in PAC?
Ans: a) Answer all the questions truthfully to the anaesthesiologist.
b) Inform about all other illness/ allergies that you might have/had, even if you feel it is unrelated to your present surgical problem e.g. Diabetes, High B.P., Asthma, cough, cold etc.
c) Inform about any kind of medications you are taking.
d) Inform about previous history of operation & the outcome of anaesthesia.

Q:8. How much is the risk of anaesthesia?
Ans: Even in otherwise healthy patient the risk of anaesthesia is there - although minimal. In simple words, like the risk involved in crossing the road or risk of accident while traveling in a bus/train or the risk of aircrash inspite of all checks & precautions. In the patients who are having other medical/surgical problem, the risk is more depending upon their physical status. The risk is also more during emergency operations as the anaesthesiologist may not have much time to correct/treat other associated medical problems the patient might be suffering from.

Q:9. Why there is risk even in otherwise healthy patients?
Ans: The drugs used for giving anaesthesia are potentially dangerous & do have some side effects. Moreover the human body may react differently to different procedures/drugs inspite of using them in optimal dosage. Hence there is always some inherent risk involved in anaesthesia despite the best precautions, care, and expertise of the anaesthesiologist.

Q:10. Is anaesthesia a mandatory part of my surgical treatment?
Ans: YES- As no surgery is possible without anaesthesia.

Q:11. Why do anaesthesiologists sometimes do not give PAC clearance even when the surgeon is ready to operate?
Ans: This is done in the interest of the patient. If the patient is having some medical problem that can be treated/cured, it is safer to postpone the operation, to treat/ cure the medical problem first and then operate as the operation in the patients with untreated medical problems carries greater risk. However, in case of emergencies there is no choice but to go ahead with the surgery. In that case the patient is apprised of the urgency of the situation and the higher risk involved therein. However the operation is undertaken only after the patient gives the consent for the same.

Q:12. Why inspite of PAC clearance, the operation is sometimes delayed/postponed at the last moment?
Ans: As mentioned earlier, the administration of anaesthesia is somewhat similar to art of flying of aircraft. Inspite of a confirmed ticket, for the safety sake, passenger may be denied a boarding pass or the flight may be cancelled at the last moment due to some snag in the aircraft , bad weather, pilot reporting sick etc. Similarly the appearance of some fresh symptoms in the patient, abnormal lab tests reports just before the start of operation or some fault in the anaesthesia machine & monitor may be a reason for the delay or postponement. However this is done for the safety of the patient.

Q:13. Is the risk of anaesthesia less if the surgery is minor?
Ans: No the risk of anaesthesia is same even if the surgery is minor.

Q:14. What should I do on the preoperative day?
Ans: Follow the preoperative advice including fasting time & medications very meticulously.

Q:15. When I get up after anaesthesia, will I have pain?
Ans: Anaesthesiologists usually give some medications so that you do not have pain after the operation. In case of any discomfort, please inform the doctor/nurses on duty.