Anesthesiology

If you are coming to Middlesex Health for a surgery or procedure, you may need anesthesia. Anesthesia is used to prevent and relieve pain during operations and other medical interventions. At Middlesex Health, the doctors of Anesthesiologists of Middletown collaborate with your other health care providers to ensure your safety and comfort.

How does the anesthesia process work?

Long before you come to the hospital for your surgery or procedure, your medical record will be organized by our pre-operative nurses. They will gather all needed laboratory and test results, which will be reviewed by the anesthesiologists. You may be asked to see your own primary care doctor or a specialist for additional information.

You will be called the day before your procedure and given eating, drinking and medication instructions. Most people will be told not to eat or drink anything after midnight.

Some patients will be asked to come to the hospital days or weeks before their surgery to visit our PEAC (Pre-operative Evaluation and Assessment Clinic). These patients include all total knee and total hip replacement patients, many spine surgery patients and any other person whose surgeon wants them seen for an evaluation.

On the day of your surgery you will meet the anesthesia team, composed of either an anesthesiologist alone or an anesthesiologist working with a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). We will review your medical history and examine you. We will discuss your anesthesia options specific to your procedure. We will ask you to sign permission for the anesthesia you agreed to.

Immediately prior to going to the operating room, we conduct a safety check. Your surgeon, the Operating Room nurse and the anesthesia team all gather with you and review the plan each of us has for you to keep you safe.

During your procedure your vital functions of breathing and circulation will be closely monitored. We are constantly evaluating the need for more or less anesthesia, and planning for the end of your procedure when we wake you up. Pain medicine and anti-nausea medicine is always given when needed, prior to you waking.

Most people will not remember waking from anesthesia, but may be talking when they arrive in the recovery room.

Some people will be offered or recommended to have a nerve block before or after the surgery. This will be included in the permission form. Frequently, a sedative will be given to make the nerve block more comfortable.

What is the Enhanced Recovery Program (ERP)? What is PEAC?

The Enhanced Recovery Program is designed to help you get back to feeling like yourself as soon as possible after surgery. This process begins even before you come in for your procedure, and it may involve a visit to our Pre-operative Evaluation and Assessment Clinic, or PEAC. Watch the video to learn more.