Under the Mask

Every year, millions of people undergo surgery. Yet few truly understand what happens to them during the procedure - especially what the anaesthesiologist does to ensure their survival and well being. An anaesthesiologist disarms your body chemistry; keeps you alive while you're subjected to manipulations that would otherwise kill you; and ensures your safe return to consciousness. By controlling postsurgical pain, this physician profoundly affects the speed of your recovery. Yet despite their crucial role, anaesthesiologists are often the unseen doctors. This guide demystifies the surgical process by providing patients with detailed information that should make them better-informed consumers. It begins by describing the development and current scope of anaesthesiology, the medications and techniques used, and the role of the anaesthesiologist both in and outside the operating room. It explains a patient's rights and advises how to use the preoperative consultation with the anaesthesiologist to best effect, specifying what information to provide and what questions to ask. The next section details the most common surgical and diagnostic procedures requiring anaesthesia or conscious sedation. It explains each procedure, the issues it raises for anaesthesia, the possible risks, the information to give the anaesthesiologist, the questions to ask, and the choices to make if there is more than one option. It also covers the anaesthesiologist's crucial role in controlling pain caused by chronic conditions. Looking toward the future of anaesthesia and analgesia, the last chapter describes some advances in anaesthetic and pain control techniques, and some still in an experimental stage. The book also discusses the new, expanded roles of anaesthesiology within managed care. For all conditions covered, it describes what to expect, what to do if you aren't getting what you need, and, depending on the seriousness of your condition, how far you should go to get it. Knowledgeable patients who make informed decisions regarding surgical anaestheisa and subsequent pain control feel less anxious and stressed, a change that in itself can significantly expedite recovery.