After the induction of general anesthesia, anesthesia is maintained with a combination of inhalation agents and intravenous medications. Anesthetic drugs used today have a shorter duration of effect than in previous years, allowing prompt recovery and a low incidence of nausea or vomiting. At the end of your operation, you will be awakened and transported to the post-anesthesia care unit. Examples of regional anesthesia include spinal and epidural anesthesia. Monitored Anesthesia Care is used for brief superficial operations such as removing skin lesions or changing a pacemaker battery.
Local anesthesia is infiltrated into the area of surgery after intravenous sedation is administered.
You will be relaxed and comfortable throughout the entire procedure. Your care and safety will be managed by the anesthetist in the same way as when general and regional anesthesia is used. Under the direction of your anesthetist, your nurse will administer medication to alleviate pain you may have as a result of the surgical procedure. If you vomit or experience postoperative nausea, it will be treated promptly. When the PACU nurse is satisfied that your condition is stable and pain has been adequately treated, you will be discharged from the PACU to go home if you are an outpatient or to your hospital room if you are to remain in the hospital.