If you are having an upcoming procedure. Please see the following information. A similar SMS will send a link and remind you of the same information prior to your surgery.
Courtesy of Patientloops.
What is anaesthesia?
An anaesthetist is a doctor who has undertaken specialist training following their medical degree to learn how to safely manage patients with a large variety of conditions presenting for a wide variety of clinical procedures.
The word “Anaesthesia” means “without sensation”. The practice of anaesthesia is a combination of medications and interventions performed by an anaesthetist that allows you to have your procedure undertaken with minimal discomfort and distress.
It is the anaesthetist’s role to assess you and your condition in the context of the procedure you are having. With this information and together with your surgeon, your anaesthetist will determine the best strategy to ensure your comfort and safety before, during, and after the procedure. All of this can be explained in more detail on the day of your surgery if you wish.
In theatre, the anaesthetist stays with you throughout the entire procedure administering medication and managing your consciousness, comfort, breathing, and heart function to ensure the safest and most comfortable outcome possible.
Some of the medications administered by anaesthetists include those administered orally (premedication, analgesics), medications administered via an injection (intravenous anaesthetics, analgesics, antibiotics, anti-nausea medications), medication administered via a face mask or breathing tube (anaesthetic gases), or medicines administered around surgical wounds or the nerves supplying sensation around those wounds (local anaesthesia).
What are the risks?
Due to the extensive specialist medical training, as well as modern anaesthesia equipment and medications, anaesthesia undertaken in Australia is very safe. There is, however, a level of risk associated with every part of our daily lives, and undergoing anaesthesia for a procedure is no different.
The most common side effects of anaesthesia include postoperative nausea and vomiting, sore throat, and minor injuries to the mouth and teeth. Serious complications are much less common and include nerve damage, heart or lung injury and allergic reactions to medications.
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting can occur in 30-70% of patients up to 48 hours following anaesthesia depending on the nature of the surgery. This risk can be minimised by the use of specific medications during and after the procedure.
Sore throat
Sore throat is a common side effect related to the insertion of breathing devices and usually resolves by itself within a few days.
Dental damage
Dental damage related to insertion of breathing devices occurs in less than 1 in 100 anaesthetics.
Awareness
Many patients fear the risk of “being awake” during anaesthesia. This is thankfully extremely rare and the true risk is variable depending on the patient, surgery and the context of the surgery. If you would like to discuss this further, please ask before or on the day of surgery.
Fasting
Fasting is important to ensure your stomach is free from food or liquid at the time of your procedure. Inadequate fasting may result in your procedure being delayed or postponed.
A pre-admissions nurse from the hospital or surgeon’s rooms will give you a ring the day before your procedure with fasting and other preoperative instructions. Below is a general guide to preoperative fasting for your information.
AM LIST
If you are booked on an AM list (usually somewhere between 08:00 – 12:00), finish all meals by midnight prior. This includes milk products and orange juice. Clear fluids (water, cordial, clear apple juice) are allowed until 06:00.
PM List
If you are booked on a PM list (Usually somewhere between 12:00 – 19:00), finish all meals by 07:00. This includes milk products and orange juice. Clear fluids (water, cordial, clear apple juice) are allowed until 10:00.
Fees
The anaesthetic fee varies for each procedure, and is separate from the surgeon’s and hospital’s fee. This fee is calculated based on a number of factors including the length and nature of the procedure and whether the service is provided out-of-hours.
Medicare covers the largest portion of the scheduled fee, with your private health insurer (if applicable) covering a small portion in addition to that. The remaining amount after Medicare and health fund benefits is often referred to as the “out-of-pocket” or “gap” and is covered by the patient. This gap exists because the fees outlined in the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) have not risen in line with the increasing cost of providing anaesthesia services, such as insurance and ongoing education.
Medibank Private, Australian Unity and over 40 Australian Health Service Alliance funds. These funds cover more than 2/3 of the anaesthetic fee (including Medicare rebate) with their “known gap” facility.
GMHBA, La Trobe, Druids, Federation Health. These funds pay a lower benefit.
HBA, NIB, BUPA, MBF, HCF, Manchester Unity. These funds cover less than 1/3 of the anaesthetic fee (including Medicare rebate).
For more information about why there is an out of pocket, you can visit www.asa.org.au and navigate to the patient information section.
Contact
If you have any further questions, you will have the opportunity to discuss these with me at our pre-anaesthesia consultation on the day.
For any questions please visit https://www.anaemate.com.au/contact-us#Contact-us. There you can make any number of enquiries about your upcoming service.