Operating Room
When we are in the operating room (OR), our responsibilities include the medical management and anesthetic care of the patient throughout the surgical procedure. Because each patient’s anesthetic needs differ, we carefully match these needs to the patient’s medical condition, his/her response to anesthesia and the surgical requirements.While in the OR, we:
- Provide continual medical assessment of the patient
- Monitor and maintain the patient’s vital life functions, such as heart rate and rhythm, breathing, blood pressure, body temperature, and body fluid balance
- Monitor and adjust the patient’s level of unconsciousness to make conditions ideal for a safe, pain-free, and successful surgery
Recovery Room
Patients are transferred to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (also know as the PACU or Recovery Room) after surgery, where they fully recover from the anesthesia’s effects under the watchful and expert eye of skilled nursing personnel and one of our anesthesiologists. Our experience and knowledge allow us to determine when the patient is stable enough to be moved to a regular room in the medical facility, or has sufficiently recovered to be sent home following outpatient surgery.Pain Management
After surgery, we consult and recommend pain-relieving medication and techniques that are best for each patient. Given our specialty training, we are uniquely qualified to recommend and administer drug therapies for acute, chronic, cancer and childbirth pain. During childbirth, we manage the care of two people, providing pain relief with epidural or spinal blocks for the mother while managing her life functions, as well as those of her baby.
Beginning Phase
Your anesthesia probably will be started with an induction agent, which is used during the first step of your anesthesia and lasts only a few minutes. To keep you anesthetized, we administer and regulate more potent medications that are necessary for the rest of your procedure. Some of these medications are injected into your veins and others, such as nitrous oxide, are inhaled.Inhaled gases are administered to patients who receive general anesthesia, with oxygen being the most important gas. These gases are administered either through a mask or special breathing tube which is inserted into your windpipe (trachea), depending on your surgical procedure and physical condition.
Middle Phase
The specific anesthetics that will be administered to you will be determined by your physical responses, how those medications will be affected by the type of surgery you are having, and by your medical status. In other words, we carefully tailor your anesthetic just for you.Some medications will be anesthetic agents to help you remain unconscious and experience no sensations, while others are administered to regulate your vital functions, such as heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure, breathing, and brain and kidney functions.
We constantly monitor, evaluate and regulate your critical body processes because they can change significantly during the operation due to surgical response, the effects of the anesthetic medications, and your medical condition.
Recovery Phase
When surgery is completed, the recovery phase is carefully timed and controlled. Anesthetic agents are discontinued and new medications may be given to reverse the effects of those administered previously. Body temperature, breathing, blood pressure and other functions begin to normalize.Before your total recovery, you may receive some medications to decrease post-operative discomfort. We calculate all of this precisely to permit you to return to consciousness in the recovery room (also known as the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, or PACU)
Critical Care and Trauma
Anesthesia Consultants of New Jersey's physicians have experience in caring for patients in critical care units. In this setting, we provide medical assessment and diagnosis, respiratory and cardiovascular support, and infection control.As anesthesiologists we are trained to handle most emergency situations. We can provide airway management, cardiac and pulmonary resuscitation, advanced life support and pain control. Acting as consultants, we play an active role in stabilizing and preparing a patient for emergency surgery..