The patient will be taken to the anaesthetic room by a theatre nurse
Relatives may stay with the patient until this point
The patient will then meet the anaesthetist who will insert a cannula to give an anaesthetic
If a general anaesthetic is required, the patient will be intubated, e.g. ‘you will have a tube through your mouth to control breathing during the operation. You will not remember this but you may have a sore throat afterwards. It will be taken out when you are waking up.’
The operation will then be performed – offer details about the specific operation
Types of anaesthetic
Type
Detail
Examples where it may be used
General
Medication that is inhaled or injected to induce a reversible loss of consciousness
Many operations
Spinal
Needle is inserted into the lower back and a local anaesthetic is injected into the cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid in the subarachnoid space that surrounds the spinal cord) to numb the lower body
Operations below the umbilicus, e.g. lower limb surgery, pelvic surgery, C-section/childbirth
Epidural
Catheter is inserted into the back and a local anaesthetic is injected as required into the epidural space (the outermost part of the spinal cord) to numb the lower body.
Epidural is usually performed for longer operations or when analgesia is required post-operatively
Nerve block
Local anaesthetic injected around the nerve(s) that supplies the area being operated on
Procedures on hands, arms, feet, legs or face
Local
Local anaesthetic injected directly into the area that is being operated on
There may be tubes that were inserted in theatre, e.g. catheter, drains
Pain control – there are a variety of options that may be used:
Intravenous (patient-controlled analgesia) – ‘you will be given a button that you can press whenever you want pain relief’
Oral
Local wound catheters – ‘local anaesthetic may be directly injected into the site by a small tube’
Depending on the type of surgery, there may be limitations on what the patient is allowed to eat/drink for a period afterwards
VTE prophylaxis: the patient will usually be given a heparin (‘a small injection in the skin of your tummy each day’) and may be asked to wear compression stockings to prevent blood clots
Physiotherapy: the patient will be seen by physiotherapists to build up their mobility after the operation
Occupational therapy: if required, the patient will be assessed by therapists who will help arrange care or modify their home to help them cope after the operation
Risks/complications
These must be explained using lay terms. Try not to scare the patient. Explain most complications are rare and how the risk of complications is minimised.