Anesthesia: A Patient Guide: What You Should Know to Enhance Your Safety

Having surgery? Millions do each year in the US without any significant thought about anesthesia until a few minutes before surgery. The anesthesia provider chats with you briefly for a few minutes, then it is into the operating room and you are asleep before you know it. But what about the risks of anesthesia that are not explained? Are there ways to enhance safety? Are there choices regarding the anesthetic? What about the problems I had with anesthesia before with anesthesia but was not asked about this time? Will my medications affect anesthesia? What are the side effects of anesthesia and what complications can occur? The sad fact is that patients are simply not given enough information about anesthesia and the interaction with the anesthesia provider is all too brief. This book will answer these and many other questions about anesthesia and surgery such as "Is a surgery center a safe place to have surgery and anesthesia?", "How can I find a good surgeon", and "How does anesthesia actually work?". The risks of anesthesia to mental acuity are especially important in those with dementia, and may have long term effects that actually require a change in living accommodations, but this is rarely discussed before the surgery. You need answers BEFORE surgery and anesthesia. Read more