>> Even herbal medicines can interfere with the blood coagulation process and cause complications during surgery.
Many people have never even heard of it, but yes, it exists and is essential to avoid risks to the patient's life and also to provide more safety to surgeons; we are talking about the pre-anesthetic consultation. It is in this consultation that the anesthesiologist will identify the best option for a given patient, and the patient will have all their questions answered and learn a little more about the anesthesia that will be used.
The anesthesiologist, Pedro Dettogni, said that this consultation is fundamental in elective surgeries, that is, those that are not urgent.
"It is usually conducted in the anesthesiologist's office or at the hospital or clinic where the procedure will take place. It brings a lot of security to the patient and reduces anxiety before surgery, as it is possible to clarify all doubts and understand the reasons for the anesthesia that will be adopted, as well as the expected effects in the postoperative period," he said.
The majority of people are more afraid of anesthesia than of the surgery itself. And today, medicine has evolved a lot, and the problems that in the past made anesthesia so feared are now very rare.
"Currently, we work with the most modern medical instruments, new techniques, deep knowledge, and cutting-edge medications. All of this reduces the risk of complications," reported Dettogni.
There are several types of anesthesia: general, sedation, neuroaxis blocks, and peripheral nerve blocks. For each surgery, the anesthesiologist proposes the technique suitable for the procedure and the patient, who may have restrictions in their clinical condition.
According to Pedro, general anesthesia remains the most feared. "Many patients report the fear of waking up during the procedure or never waking up again after the anesthesia ends. Many of these complications, which were very common in the past, are now very rare," he informed.
The pre-anesthetic evaluation
In it, various information is analyzed, which may include the patient's medical records, interview, physical examination, and findings from tests and medical evaluations.
The physical examination focuses mainly on a detailed analysis of the airways. During the clinical evaluation, the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are also checked. There is a search for the presence of bronchial asthma and the frequency of crises, a search for endocrine diseases, and sleep apnea.
"It is also important to know about previous surgeries and to check if there has been any history of death of close relatives during surgery. Another fundamental piece of information is about the use of medications, addictions, and drug use, as well as a search for allergies to both medications and food, cosmetics, balloons, etc.," he said.
One cannot lie or omit this to the anesthesiologist, as it may put their own life at risk.
"The doctor needs to ask about the use of medications, even if they are herbal or homeopathic medications. It is essential, and he must know of their existence. They may seem harmless, but many have significant anticoagulant effects, and in the case of surgeries, there is a risk of prolonged bleeding. Given this information, the anesthesiologist will decide whether to suspend the medication days before the surgery," warned Pedro Dettogni.
It is important to remember that statistics indicate that fatal complications in anesthesia occur at a rate of 1 in every 200,000 procedures. That is, it is possible for an anesthesiologist to work for decades in their profession, perform around 20,000 to 30,000 procedures, and not witness any serious complications arising from anesthesia.
The majority of complications related to anesthesia, about two-thirds, are respiratory complications and are associated with ventilation problems and access to the airways. The remainder occurs mainly in the cardiovascular and neurological systems.
"These risks can be caused by the effects of the administered drugs or by factors inherent to the patient's clinical condition, such as allergies, heart, or respiratory diseases," he informed.
In the hands of responsible and properly qualified professionals, working in institutions equally committed to patients, anesthesia becomes, therefore, a safe science, reducing risks and humanizing medical interventions, freeing patients from pain.
Many people have never even heard of it, but yes, it exists and is essential to avoid risks to the patient's life and also to provide more safety to surgeons; we are talking about the pre-anesthetic consultation. It is in this consultation that the anesthesiologist will identify the best option for a given patient, and the patient will have all their questions answered and learn a little more about the anesthesia that will be used.
The anesthesiologist, Pedro Dettogni, said that this consultation is fundamental in elective surgeries, that is, those that are not urgent.
"It is usually conducted in the anesthesiologist's office or at the hospital or clinic where the procedure will take place. It brings a lot of security to the patient and reduces anxiety before surgery, as it is possible to clarify all doubts and understand the reasons for the anesthesia that will be adopted, as well as the expected effects in the postoperative period," he said.
The majority of people are more afraid of anesthesia than of the surgery itself. And today, medicine has evolved a lot, and the problems that in the past made anesthesia so feared are now very rare.
"Currently, we work with the most modern medical instruments, new techniques, deep knowledge, and cutting-edge medications. All of this reduces the risk of complications," reported Dettogni.
There are several types of anesthesia: general, sedation, neuroaxis blocks, and peripheral nerve blocks. For each surgery, the anesthesiologist proposes the technique suitable for the procedure and the patient, who may have restrictions in their clinical condition.
According to Pedro, general anesthesia remains the most feared. "Many patients report the fear of waking up during the procedure or never waking up again after the anesthesia ends. Many of these complications, which were very common in the past, are now very rare," he informed.
The pre-anesthetic evaluation
In it, various information is analyzed, which may include the patient's medical records, interview, physical examination, and findings from tests and medical evaluations.
The physical examination focuses mainly on a detailed analysis of the airways. During the clinical evaluation, the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are also checked. There is a search for the presence of bronchial asthma and the frequency of crises, a search for endocrine diseases, and sleep apnea.
"It is also important to know about previous surgeries and to check if there has been any history of death of close relatives during surgery. Another fundamental piece of information is about the use of medications, addictions, and drug use, as well as a search for allergies to both medications and food, cosmetics, balloons, etc.," he said.
One cannot lie or omit this to the anesthesiologist, as it may put their own life at risk.
"The doctor needs to ask about the use of medications, even if they are herbal or homeopathic medications. It is essential, and he must know of their existence. They may seem harmless, but many have significant anticoagulant effects, and in the case of surgeries, there is a risk of prolonged bleeding. Given this information, the anesthesiologist will decide whether to suspend the medication days before the surgery," warned Pedro Dettogni.
It is important to remember that statistics indicate that fatal complications in anesthesia occur at a rate of 1 in every 200,000 procedures. That is, it is possible for an anesthesiologist to work for decades in their profession, perform around 20,000 to 30,000 procedures, and not witness any serious complications arising from anesthesia.
The majority of complications related to anesthesia, about two-thirds, are respiratory complications and are associated with ventilation problems and access to the airways. The remainder occurs mainly in the cardiovascular and neurological systems.
"These risks can be caused by the effects of the administered drugs or by factors inherent to the patient's clinical condition, such as allergies, heart, or respiratory diseases," he informed.
In the hands of responsible and properly qualified professionals, working in institutions equally committed to patients, anesthesia becomes, therefore, a safe science, reducing risks and humanizing medical interventions, freeing patients from pain.
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