Introduction:
Surgeries, whether planned or unexpected, require anesthesia and can trigger questions on pain, anesthesia, safety, and recovery. Anesthesia serves the important function of allowing surgical teams to safely perform a planned procedure while providing pain management for the patient.
Anesthesiologists at Regal Hospital are part of the broader surgical and critical care team and help assess patients before surgery, manage anesthesia during the procedure, and assist in the recovery period.
Regal Hospital has the specialties of anesthesiology as well as urology, nephrology, general surgery, and critical care. The website states that the Pain Management department serves to provide pain relief before, during, and after surgery.
What Does an Anesthesiologist Do?
An anesthesiologist is a specialist doctor responsible for much more than simply making a patient sleep during surgery.
Before surgery, anesthesiologists consider many factors, including the patient’s medical history, current medications, allergies, previous anesthesia, other relevant tests, and conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, asthma, kidney disease, and others.
During surgery, the anesthesia team manages and adjusts medications for the patient’s changing condition.
After surgery, the anesthesiologist also manages pain and other conditions of the patient in the initial recovery period.
All of this is an important part of safe, surgical anesthesia.
What is anesthesia, and why is it used for surgery?
Surgery can have both physical and psychological stress on a person. It can also lead to changes in vital body functions like breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate.
Anesthesia can help the physician change and manage these body functions and stress during the surgical process. Anesthesia can also help relieve pain.
Depending on the surgery, the anesthesiologist can decide on the form of anesthesia to use.
General anesthesia
With general anesthesia, the patient is completely unconscious and has no awareness of the surgical process. It is usually used in longer and more major surgeries.
Regional anesthesia
This anesthesia numbs a larger body part and can allow the patient to be fully conscious during the surgery and remain awake or be sedated, depending on the medical circumstances.
Local anesthesia and sedation
Local anesthesia can numb a small part of the body and allows a procedure to be done and a patient sedated to relieve stress.
Which Forms of Anesthesia are Safest and Appropriate?
The form of anesthesia used depends on the surgery, the medical condition of the patient and the anesthesiologist’s judgement. An anesthesiologist is expected to use the form of anesthesia that will make the surgery the least stressful and safest for the patient.
Prior Anesthesia Assessment is Important
Before surgery, an assessment of the patient is done to fully prepare the medical team on the needs and problems of the patient.
Patients should inform their physician about:
-Allergies
-Any preexisting medical conditions
-Prior surgeries and anesthesia
-Current medications and supplements
-Any problems they may have had with anesthesia
-Pregnancy
Blood tests and other medical evaluations may also be reviewed if the anesthesiologist thinks it is necessary.
Fasting and other medical instructions of the hospital should be followed.
Anesthesia for Kidney Stone Surgeries
Kidney stones are formed when certain substances become concentrated in urine and form crystals. The size and location of the stones determine whether they can be passed naturally. Active treatment becomes necessary in case the stones do not pass.
Kidney stone procedures make excellent examples of the need for a customized anesthesia plan.
Common symptoms of kidney stones are:
-Pain in the side or back
-Pain that extends to the abdomen or groin
-Frequent urination
-Urgent urination
-Burning feeling while urinating
-Blood in urine
-Nausea or vomiting
Other symptoms may be present in other urinary conditions. Persistent, severe symptoms may require evaluation by a qualified urologist.
Kidney stone pain requires urgent medical attention if it is accompanied by:
-Fever or chills
-Severe or vomiting
-Blood in urine
-Urinary block
-Inability to urinate
-Pain that is getting worse
Other symptoms that may be caused by a urinary tract infection.
Treatment for a blockage and infection may be required to be done immediately.
Regal Hospital has various services, including ICU.
Diagnosing Kidney Stones Before Treatment
Prior to any treatment for kidney stones, the size and location of the stone must be evaluated to determine the necessity and clinical importance of the treatment.
Depending on the symptoms of the patient, various diagnostic tests may include:
Urine Tests
Tests of the urine may be done to check for blood, infection, and other abnormalities.
Blood Tests
Blood tests may be done to assess kidney function and check for signs of other infections.
Ultrasound
An ultrasound may be done to evaluate the urinary tract and check for kidney stones.
CT imaging
A CT scan may be used to gain more information on a urinary stone or obstruction if needed.
Regal Hospital details diagnostic services like CT, X-ray, and Doppler ultrasound.
Anesthesia and Kidney Stone Treatment in Bangalore
The kind of anesthesia given for the stone procedure is dependent on the procedure being performed and the health status of the patient.
Medicines and Observation
Smaller stones may be managed medically to help the patient pass the stone with observation. Pain medicines may be prescribed.
ESWL
ESWL uses shock waves to break the kidney stone into smaller fragments.
Ureteroscopy and laser treatment
Ureteroscopy uses a flexible scope to access the stone and may also be used to fragment the stone using a laser, which may be removed or permitted to pass.
Observation and medicines, ESWL, ureteroscopy, laser treatment, and surgery are some of the methods described by Regal Hospital for the management of kidney stones.
Surgery for larger or complex stones
For larger or more complex stones, a procedure like Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) may be recommended. The urologist makes the final decision on the type of procedure to be done based on the stone and the patient’s health status.
Kidney Stone Treatment in Bangalore
For patients requiring kidney stone treatment in Bangalore, where anesthesia is required for the procedure, planning for that anesthesia is also part of the overall process.
What happens during a procedure?
Anesthesia is first given to the patient, after which the patient is monitored by the anesthesiology team for changes and vital sign responses during the procedure.
Monitoring may include:
-Heart rate
-Blood pressure
-Oxygen level
-Breathing
-Temperature
Other pertinent variables related to the surgery
Anesthesia plans may be altered throughout a surgery based upon the condition of the patient.
The level of detail and type of monitoring usually required to ensure patient safety during the administration of anesthesia argue that it is not appropriate to treat the administration of anesthesia as a routine, standard part of surgery.
Pain Management After Surgery
Postoperative pain management is often initiated by the anesthesia and surgery teams.
Members of both of these teams, in collaboration, may assess the level of pain and decide on the type and dosage of pain relieving or other pain-controlling measures.
Effective postoperative pain management may help patients to:
-Rest.
-Move and ambulate, as prescribed.
-Engage in rehabilitation activities.
-Recovery After Surgery
Recovery depends upon the surgery and the patients’ health and other conditions.
In general, patients:
-Should take their prescribed medications.
-Should follow their care providers’ instructions on how to care for their surgical wounds.
-Should follow prescribed postoperative diet and activity.
-Should keep follow-up appointments.
-Should ask before taking other (previously controlled) medications.
-Should tell their care providers about changes in their symptoms and/or condition.
Preventing the formation of more stones in the kidneys may require modification of diet and/or levels of hydration or other changes. Some individuals may require adjustments based upon the results of tests and/or exams. Those who have heart, kidney, and other conditions should follow individually prescribed levels of hydration and fluids rather than adopting a rigid “target” of daily fluid intake.
Regal Hospital is a 250-bed super specialty and multispecialty hospital in North Bangalore. It has departments of nephrology and urology along with surgical specialties, anesthesiology, and radiology.
Its operating theaters are equipped with anesthetic workstations and other medical gases. The hospital says its surgical services are supported by anesthetic, intensive care, nursing, and radiology services.
For patients seeking urology hospitals in Bangalore, particularly around Thanisandra, Hennur, Yelahanka, Hebbal, and Tirumahahalli, having surgical, anesthesia, diagnostic, and critical care services within a multi-specialty hospital helps in providing integrated care.
This is applicable when kidney stone patients in Bangalore, for instance, require services of urologists and anesthesiologists, based on the nature of the surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does an anesthesiologist do before surgery?
Answer: An anesthesiologist reviews the patient’s medical history, medicines, allergies, previous anesthesia experiences, and relevant test results before developing an individualized anesthesia and pain-management plan.
- Is anesthesia completely painless?
Answer: Anesthesia is designed to prevent or significantly reduce pain and awareness during appropriate procedures. Patients may experience some discomfort during recovery depending on the type of surgery, so postoperative pain management is also planned.
- What types of anesthesia are used for surgery?
Answer: Depending on the procedure, anesthesia may include general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, local anesthesia or sedation. The anesthesiologist selects an appropriate approach based on the surgery and the patient’s health.
- Is anesthesia used during kidney stone treatment?
Answer: Some kidney stone procedures require anesthesia or sedation, while the approach varies according to the procedure and patient. Ureteroscopy and laser stone treatment, for example, may be performed under general anesthesia in appropriate cases. Regal Hospital
- When should kidney stone pain be treated as an emergency?
Answer: Severe or worsening pain, fever or chills, persistent vomiting, blood in the urine, inability to pass urine or pain accompanied by infection symptoms requires prompt medical evaluation.
Consult Our Expert Surgical Team at Regal Hospital
Choosing the right surgical team involves more than selecting the procedure itself. Anesthesiology, surgical expertise, nursing support, diagnostic services and postoperative monitoring all contribute to coordinated patient care.
For patients considering surgery or kidney stone treatment in Bangalore, a consultation with the appropriate specialist can help explain the available treatment and anesthesia options based on individual needs.
Book Your Free Consultation Today
Call us today: +91 888 405 8888.
Visit us: Near Thanisandra-Yelahanka Road, Bengaluru
Learn more: www.regalhospital.com
