General Anesthesia
Under general anesthesia, you will be sound asleep while being closely monitored by your anesthesiologist during the operation. You will be connected to several monitors and an intravenous catheter. The anesthesiologist will administer a sedative and once you fall asleep, will usually slip an endotracheal tube into your windpipe to make sure you have no trouble breathing. To keep you asleep and free of pain, you will receive an anesthetic gas to breathe and other medications will be given into your IV.
Although the safety and sophistication of general anesthesia is extremely high, patients still face it with trepidation. Please don't worry. The monitors used during surgery are all very sensitive and of the highest quality. Any changes in your blood pressure, the oxygen level in your blood, in the amount of carbon dioxide you breathe out, as well as changes in your heart rate, would be detected instantaneously. You can discuss all aspects of general anesthesia with your anesthesiologist prior to surgery.
Smoking
If you smoke, you must stop a MINIMUM of two weeks prior to your surgery. Smoking causes constriction of small blood vessels in the skin which may have a direct negative effect on the body's ability to heal. The tiny vessels that carry blood to the areas of surgery need to be fully functional to insure survival of the skin. You must be aware that if you continue to smoke there will be a reduction of blood flow which will result in slower healing or even tissue loss. Please notify us at 713-798-6141 or contact us for your doctor's direct line if you are unable to stop smoking completely, or have recently been smoking.
High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure, and if it is under control, there is no reason to worry about not having a safe and successful surgery. Please notify us if your blood pressure is outside safe levels, and we will make sure you receive treatment prior to surgery. If your blood pressure becomes elevated during surgery you will be given intravenous medication to reduce it. If you take medication for high blood pressure, check with your doctor prior to taking your medication the morning of surgery. Please remember to take any medication the day of surgery with a sip of water only. Please see Medications for a list of medications to avoid.
Diabetes
If you have diabetes controlled with diet or oral medication, you should be able to take all of your medications with the exception of insulin the morning of surgery with a sip of water. Please make sure your doctor is aware of any medication you take. Do not eat!
If you have diabetes controlled with insulin, if you are insulin dependent, the anesthesiologist will be able to give you detailed instructions about your insulin dosage for the morning of surgery. Please be aware that we will check your blood sugar level during surgery and administer any insulin if needed.
