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Before your surgery, you will meet an important physician specialist, your anesthesiologist. A vital member of the surgical team, your anesthesiologist has the responsibility for your welfare when you undergo anesthesia. The anesthesiologist is your advocate in the operating room. It's more than just "putting you to sleep." Your anesthesiologist cares for your breathing, your brain, your heart, your circulation, your kidneys and other important bodily functions during an operation. He/she gives you anesthesia to ensure unconsciousness, prevent and treat pain, and relax your muscles during surgery so the operation can be done. He/she cares for you so that your surgeon can focus on the operation. An anesthesiologist is a physician specialist who looks after patients during surgery. Because of the anesthesiologist’s involvement, surgery or diagnostic procedures can be performed safely, without pain and stress. The specialized anesthesiology training allows this physician to safely anesthetize patients and to recognize and treat medical problems that may arise during and after surgery. Anesthesiologists have been instrumental in reducing the incidence of deaths and medical complications during this period. 

Definitions

Anesthesia [an'-es-the'ze-a]

1. Loss of sensation resulting from pharmacological depression of nerve function or from neurological dysfunction.

2. Broad term for anesthesiology as a clinical speciality.

(from Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th edition)

Anesthesiologist [An'es-the-ze-ol'o-jist]

1. A physician specializing solely in anesthesiology and related areas.

2.An individual with a doctorate degree who is board-cerified and legally qualified to administer anesthetics and related techniques.

(from Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th edition)

Anesthetist [a-nes'-the-tist]

One who administer an anesthetic, whether an anesthesiologist, a physician who is not an anesthesiologist, a nurse anesthetist, or an anesthesia assistant.

(from Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th edition)

Before your operation you will meet an important specialist physician. This doctor has the critical responsibility for your welfare when you undergo surgery - your anesthesiologist. A vital member of the surgical team, the anesthesiologist is responsible for keeping you safe and comfortable during and after your operation.
Italian anesthesiologists are physicians who have completed a university medical program of six years, followed by four years of specialized (residency) training in anesthesiology. During their residency, anesthesiologists are extensively trained in human physiology (how the body works), particularly the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and liver. They become experts on the drugs that are used in anesthesia and intensive care medicine. Anesthesiologists give more intravenous drugs than all other types of physicians combined. Anesthesiologists are the only physicians with expert knowledge of the extremely potent drugs used to anesthetize people.
Anesthesiologists become familiar with all the different medical conditions and their implications for patients undergoing a wide variety of surgical procedures. They gain experience in the provision of anesthesia for all surgical procedures, on patients of all ages and in any state of health. At least six months are spent in critical care units, such as coronary care, neonatal, pediatric and adult intensive care. By the end of their training they have become experts on anesthesia, resuscitation, critical care, and pain management. A considerable portion of most anesthesiologists' work is in providing anesthesia in the operating room, however in modern hospitals, they also work in many other areas. They are specialists in perioperative medicine, critical care and pain management. You will find them in the intensive care units, the maternity unit, the pre-admission clinic, the radiology department, the pain clinic, and on the wards.
Perioperative medicine is the term used to describe your medical care before, during and shortly after your operation (as opposed to your surgical care, which is provided by your surgeon). It includes the preoperative assessment of your medical status, the provision of anesthesia, and the supervision of your recovery until you are transferred from the post anesthesia care unit.

• BEFORE SURGERY: Anesthesia and surgery affect your entire system, so it is important for your anesthesiologist to know as much about you as possible. During a preoperative visit, an anesthesiologist will carefully evaluate you and your medical history and will inquire about your recent medications. In addition, this physician will inform you about the procedures associated with your surgery, discuss the anesthetic choices, their anesthetic and cardiological risks and benefits, order appropriate laboratory tests and prescribe medication for you, if needed, before your operation. If you have not met your anesthesiologist during a preoperative interview, you will meet immediately before your surgery. At this time, your anesthesiologist will review your entire medical chart for a clear understanding of your needs and medical condition.
• DURING SURGERY: Your anesthesiologist is personally responsible for your comfort and well-being during your surgical procedure. In the operating room, the anesthesiologist will direct your anesthesia and manage vital functions, including heart rate, blood pressure, heart rhythm, body temperature and breathing. The anesthesiologist also is responsible for fluid and blood replacement, when necessary. He or she will regulate the anesthesia so that you will be comfortable until your anesthetic care is completed. Frequently, people requiring surgery may have other medical conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, arthritis or heart problems. Because of your preoperative evaluation, your anesthesiologist will be alert to these conditions and well-prepared to treat them during your surgery and immediately afterward. Your continued medical management during surgery is necessary to help you have a speedy recovery. As doctors, anesthesiologists are uniquely qualified to treat not only sudden medical problems related to surgery itself, but also your chronic conditions that may need special attention during your procedure. This is because their medical training provides a strong background in the principles of internal medicine and critical care.
• AFTER SURGERY: Your anesthesiologist continues to be responsible for your care in the recovery room, often called the postanesthesia care unit. Here, the anesthesiologist directs specially trained staff members who monitor your condition and vital signs as the effects of the anesthesia wear off. Your anesthesiologist will determine when you are able to leave the recovery room. Moreover, your anesthesiologist helps you to manage acute postoperative pain.

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Last Update 8/12/08