Information and recommendations for patients treated under anaesthesia - Information and recommendations for patients treated under anaesthesia

Surgery and other medical activities related to significant pain or unpleasant sensations can be performed under general anaesthesia (colloquially called narcosis) or pharmacological sedation and regional (local) anaesthesia. General anaesthesia and sedation are performed by an anesthesiologist. She or he is responsible for the proper preparation and safe conduct of anaesthesia during the procedure. Before anaesthesia, an anesthesiologist is obliged to provide you with information, and to interview you about your history and state of health. In the case of general anaesthesia, an anesthesiologist must be consulted no later than 24 hours before the scheduled procedure.

General anaesthesia

General anaesthesia consists in deep sleep, exclusion of pain and unwanted reflexes from the cardiovascular, respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. This anaesthesia is performed after intravenous and/or inhalation administration. In most general anaesthesia cases, the anesthetist performs tracheal intubation. This means inserting a special tube into the trachea to protect the patient's respiratory tract during surgery and administering oxygen and anesthetics in the form of gases or vapours to the patient. Before intubation, the patient is put to sleep. During the procedure, the patient is ventilated with oxygen, given sleeping medicines, muscle relaxants and painkillers.

PHARMACOLOGICAL SEDATION

This usually involves the intravenous administration of drugs with a strong sedative, analgesic and amnestic effect. The main emphasis is on ensuring that the patient is conscious and able to cooperate during the procedure.

Routinely, during the procedure, the attending physician performs additional regional anaesthesia. This is achieved by administering a local anesthetic to the area of the nerves which conduct pain in the region where the surgery is performed. 

CHOICE OF anaesthesia METHOD

Like all medical procedures, each anesthesiological procedure has its pros and cons, as well as indications and contraindications. An anesthesiologist will use anaesthesia that is optimal for safety and comfort.

Risk:

Complications associated with anaesthesia in patients with a healthy cardiovascular system are extremely rare. However, like any medical procedure, it carries a certain risk. Possible complications of general anaesthesia include: aspiration of gastrointestinal content followed by aspiration pneumonia (as a result, the patient must fast before the planned surgery and anaesthesia), laryngeal edema, difficult intubation e.g. due to anatomical changes, impaired breathing in the period immediately after anaesthesia. Cardiovascular and respiratory disorders are possible while undergoing anaesthesia, so a special catheter for drug administration must be inserted into the vein before each procedure.

Patients sometimes experience some transient symptoms after anaesthesia, e.g. loss of appetite, dizziness, nausea / vomiting, general tiredness, headache, sore throat, soreness at the injection site. These ailments are not usually very severe and disappear after 1-2 days. If you feel malaise, have bleeding, nausea/vomiting or any disturbing symptoms please contact Dental Centrum Clinic.

Before the scheduled time of surgery, you must not eat solid foods and take any liquids for 6 hours, except for clear, non-carbonated liquids that can be taken in small amounts up to 2 hours before the scheduled time of surgery. 

Please take all medical documentation of all medicines used and the child's health book (in the case of a child) to our clinic on the day of anesthesiological consultation and surgery. Nail polish should be removed and makeup should not be applied.

On the day of surgery, a child must be healthy, without signs of active infection (flu, colds, cold sores). A minimum of 3 weeks must have elapsed since the last vaccination and 6 weeks since a contagious disease has passed through.

Arrive at the clinic in a timely manner. An adult must be looked after on the way home and for 1 day after surgery. After the procedure, the patient needs to be taken home in a car.

 

On the day of surgery, please bring the results of any additional tests that may have been requested during the anaesthesia consultation.