The Department provides valuable services from monitored anesthesia care to anesthesia for major surgery, including transplant and vascular surgeries, urologic cases, orthopedic cases, ENT cases, general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery. It also caters to providing anesthesia outside of the operating room set-up. These procedures include the following: endoscopies, nuclear scans, CT scans and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Further, the Department answers to calls for patient resuscitation and referrals for acute and chronic pain management services.

Pre-Operative Care

A patient for surgery or procedure requiring monitored care is evaluated pre-operatively, usually on the eve of surgery for elective cases, and as appropriate for emergency cases. Certain medical or surgical conditions may need an evaluation earlier in the pre-operative period.

For many patients, the pre-operative visit of the anesthesiologist allays their anxiety. During the visit, the patient’s homeostatic status is evaluated as this may be a significant modifier of peri-operative management.

An appropriate period of fasting (nothing by mouth) is ordered, taking into account patient factors as well as the scheduled cutting time. Pre-medication is tailored to individual patient needs. An intravenous catheter is put in place prior to the start of surgery with the largest bore size appropriate for the particular surgery is used.

The patient is transferred to the operating room about an hour prior to the planned surgical cutting time.

Intra-Operative Care

Upon receipt at the operating room unit, appropriate monitors (blood pressure, cardiac monitor, oxygen saturation) are connected to the patient. Vital signs are taken as often as necessary and as dictated by patient response to surgery and anesthesia. The anesthesiologist assigned assumes the responsibility of taking care of all anesthetic and surgical needs as called for the type of surgery contemplated and patient needs.

Post-Operative Care

A post-operative patient who received anesthesia is endorsed to the recovery room unit for continued monitoring. Patient endorsement consists of brief history, pertinent points in anesthesia and surgery, homeostasis and signs and symptoms to watch out for in the post-operative period. The patient who underwent uncomplicated surgery and anesthesia is usually transferred to the ward in two hours’ time. Whereas, a transplant patient and a patient considered as “high risk”, stays longer at the recovery room unit and may either be transferred at the Intensive Care Unit or at the ward depending on the evaluation of the anesthesiologist. Pain management may start during the pre operative period and continue up to two(2) days after the surgery or longer if the need arises.

FACILITIES

The Department is equipped with top-of-the line equipment such as anesthesia machines, patient monitors, warmers, target-controlled infusion (TCI) machines and patient controlled analgesia (PCA) machines.

Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA) is available in each operating room cubicle for management of difficult airway and for short surgical procedures where in endotracheal tube is not necessary for the conduct of anesthesia and surgery. They are of different sizes to customize fit to the patient in need of such. Together with this various other equipment such as: intubating LMA, lighted stylet, flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope and McCoy laryngoscope, is readily available for use whenever the need arises.