Surgical Services: Anaesthesiology

 

Anaesthesiologists are physicians that have years of specialty training in anaesthesia after completing medical school. 

They are specialists in assessing, consulting and preparing patients for anaesthesia; eliminating the patient's 

sensitivity to pain during surgery; monitoring and restoring blood pressure, oxygenation, heart rhythm 

and temperature during and immediately after surgery. They also diagnose and treat pain syndromes.

 

See below for the different services the team provides.

Portrait of a woman with cancer and her doctor

Epidural anaesthesia is performed by injecting an anaesthetic medicine into the space surrounding the spinal fluid sac. This blocks the feeling of pain in the lower half of the body - from the waist down. It is commonly used to relieve the pain of childbirth.

During general anaesthesia, the entire body, including the brain is anaesthetized. The patient is deeply asleep, feels nothing and remembers nothing of the operation. It may be given either by injection or by mask, or by both.

Different from an epidural, spinal anaesthesia is performed by injecting an anaesthetic medicine directly into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. This blocks feelings of pain in the lower half of the body.