Understanding Anesthesia

Most people choose their surgeon with care, but very few think about the anesthesiologist, even though that specialist’s skills and approach can significantly influence the success of surgery. Herein, Dr. Steven L. Orebaugh recommends steps that we can all take to secure safe and effective anesthesia.

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What type of anesthesia is used—and how it is applied—directly affects postoperative comfort as well as mental clarity and rehabilitation. This book describes the various options for anesthesia, how they can be used together for the best possible surgical outcome with optimal pain management, and their associated complications and risks.

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Dr. Orebaugh focuses especially on the benefits of regional anesthesia. When appropriately applied-whether alone or with other methods-spinal and peripheral nerve blocks often lead to better recovery and reduced pain. With as many as half of all surgical patients experiencing poorly controlled postoperative pain, regional anesthetic nerve blocks can help significantly in managing this pain while reducing the undesirable side effects of general anesthesia and pain medications.

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If you are contemplating surgery, understanding anesthesia better will reassure and equip you to take the necessary steps toward healthy recovery. Knowing your options, you can have informed conversations with your doctor and indicate a preference for a specific anesthetic treatment. Written by a compassionate and experienced anesthesiologist and backed by scientifically accurate information, as well as the latest research, this book will help you do just that.