Anesthesiology Care

If you’re having surgery at an Atlantic Health System location, we want you to be comfortable. That’s why we have trained medical professionals called anesthesiology specialists, who administer pain medications called anesthetics. There are several types:

• General anesthesia – Administered either via intravenous line or
  gas, these medications induce a deep sleep and complete loss of awareness.
• Regional (nerve block) anesthesia – This type of anesthesia numbs only specific regions of your body, such as the lower extremities. You may also receive medications that will make you feel drowsy or keep you in a light sleep, so you will not be fully aware of what is happening in the operating room.
• Local anesthesia with sedation – Local anesthesia is injected into a
  specific part of your body (generally the incision area) by the surgeon. You
  will be awake, however, you will probably also receive medication that will
  make you drowsy.
• Monitored anesthesia care and moderate (conscious) sedation – These medications will give you temporary amnesia, keeping you relaxed without
  putting you completely asleep.
• Spinal and epidural anesthesia – Administered in the lower spine, this
  anesthetic results in a loss of sensation and movement in the area being
  operated upon. You may also be given a sedative to help you feel relaxed during your operation.

Which anesthesia you receive depends on many factors, including the type of surgery you are having and your medical history.