Im having Orthopaedic Surgery What Should I do for Anesthesia?

One big question that many joint replacement patients have is “What are my anesthesia options?”

Luckily, you have quite a few choices, including general anesthesia, epidural, regional nerve block, local anesthesia and sedation, as this article explains very thoroughly.

What I would like to focus on, for those of our readers who have never had anesthesia, are a few things to settle any anxieties that you might have about anesthesia:

 

1 – All Anesthesia Methods are Not Equal

What I mean by this – not all anesthesia options offer the same benefits, “risks,” or experience, in general. Many people believe that anesthesia always means “going under,” but that is not the case. Just a quick look through the linked article above will show you how different each method really is.

 

2 – Let’s Diffuse Some General Anesthesia Fears

As the article points out, many people have reservations about general anesthesia due to media tales of “awake anesthesia,” wherein people sense the surgical procedure, but can’t move or react. However, this situation is very uncommon, and most anesthesiologists monitor patients to avoid this.

 

3 – Your Doctor Knows Both You & the Procedure

Remember, your doctor knows you very well, having looked at your medical records. Plus, he knows the procedure. So, tell you doctor about your concerns and wishes. Then, you will figure out the anesthesia option that will work best for your particular procedure.