Before your procedure
Your anesthesia professional may review your health history, medications, allergies, previous procedures, and prior experiences with anesthesia. Follow the eating, drinking, and medication instructions given by your own care team. Tell them if you could not follow those instructions or if anything about your health has changed.
During your procedure
Depending on the procedure and your health, anesthesia may involve general anesthesia, a regional technique, local anesthetic, or sedation. Your anesthesia professional monitors signs such as breathing, oxygen level, heart rate, and blood pressure, and adjusts care as needed.
As you recover
The team monitors your recovery and helps address concerns such as pain or nausea. Before leaving, make sure you understand the instructions for medicines, food and drink, activity, and symptoms that should prompt a call or urgent care.
Questions worth bringing
- Who will provide my anesthesia, and who will be on the anesthesia team?
- Which anesthesia options are appropriate for my procedure?
- What should I do about medications, eating, and drinking beforehand?
- What will be monitored, and what should I expect in recovery?
- Which symptoms after discharge should prompt a call or urgent care?
This page is general education. Your own clinicians know your health and procedure and should guide medical decisions. Do not send private medical information through a public website.