Anesthesiology

Our Team

Dedicated anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists, who have received specialized training in anesthesia, work together as a team to ensure your comfort and safety during surgery at Anna Jaques. Their primary roles in the operating room are to ensure that you are pain-free during your procedure, to monitor vital functions of your body and make informed decisions to protect you from harm. Typically, this includes monitoring critical life functions such as breathing, heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure and oxygen level.

Administration of Anesthesia to Children

During surgery, your child will be cared for by a Board Certified Anesthesiologist and a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who both have experience in pediatric anesthesia. The anesthesiologist will meet with you on the day of surgery. This is an opportunity to discuss the anesthetic plan, voice concerns, and ask questions about your child’s care during the surgical procedure. At this time you can also discuss with the anesthesiologist whether it may be beneficial for you to be in the operating room as your child goes off to sleep. The anesthesia team will care for your child continually to ensure safety and comfort throughout the experience.

If you have any questions that are not answered here, please call the Pediatric Anesthesia Information Line at 978-463-1196 and an anesthesiologist will return your call within two business days.

Patient Safety

Over the past few years, the risks associated with anesthesia have been greatly reduced by improvements in training, advances in monitoring techniques and the development of safer drugs with fewer side effects. You can help the anesthesia team to keep you safe by ensuring that we are aware of your health history and medications before the administration of anesthesia.

Prior to Surgery

Surgery and anesthesia affect your entire body. It is important for your anesthesia team to know as much as possible about your health history including a complete list of your prescription and over-the-counter medications, diet pills, herbs and other dietary supplements. These may alter your body chemistry or impair the normal functioning of major organ systems. For generally healthy patients undergoing minor procedures, a preliminary interview is conducted over the telephone, and an anesthesiologist will perform a final preoperative assessment on the day of your surgery. However, if you have serious medical issues, are having major surgery or have had significant problems with anesthesia in the past, it will usually be necessary for you to come to the pre-surgical testing clinic several days in advance of your procedure for an interview with a member of the anesthesia department. At this time, your health history and medications will be reviewed, a brief examination may be performed and you will have an opportunity to discuss your options for anesthesia.

You will be given instructions concerning the intake of food, drink and medications before surgery. It is important that these instructions be followed carefully. Failure to do so may result in delay or cancellation of your surgery, or may jeopardize your safety during the procedure.

Types of Anesthesia

There are several types of anesthesia, including general, regional, local and straight local anesthesia. The anesthesia team and your surgeon will work with you to determine the best type of anesthesia for you. The American Society of Anesthesiologists have set up this website for you to obtain more detailed information about anesthesia.