Frequently Asked Questions
Anaesthetists such as Dr. Anthony Singh are specialist doctors and perioperative physicians that are responsible for administering anaesthesia to patients prior to procedures and operations.
The medication itself, anaesthesia, is used to eliminate sensations and in turn, allows doctors to perform medical and surgical procedures without causing undue distress or discomfort to the patient.
The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) summarises a specialist anaesthetists as the following;
“A fully qualified medical doctor who, after obtaining their medical degree, has spent at least two years working in the hospital system before completing a further five years of training in anaesthesia.”
In addition to administering anaesthetic, it’s common for anaesthetists to have additional focus on pain management and intensive care.
Every year in Australia, anaesthetists have significant involvement in almost four million operations. Without them, surgeries would not be nearly as effective and successful.
The method used by Dr. Anthony Singh to administer anaesthetic depends upon the type of anaesthetic required.
General anaesthesia, the most frequently administered, can be done so in the following ways;
- Inhaled gas through a mask.
- Injection, including shots or intravenously (IV).
- Topical (applied to skin or eyes) liquid, spray or patch.
Prior to being administered anaesthetic, anaesthetics such as Dr. Anthony Singh will meet with their patients.
During this meeting, your anaesthetist will request from you a range of important details related to your medical history and general health and lifestyle.
Your anaesthetist will also advise you of the pre-surgery instructions. This will include informing you of when to stop eating or drinking prior to your surgery. It is essential that patients follow these instructions strictly.
The instruction for patients to refrain from eating or drinking for a certain period before administering anaesthetic is to prevent aspiration. Aspiration is the term used to describe when the stomach’s contents are expelled into the lungs. This can be extremely dangerous. This, of course, can be prevented by adhering to your anaesthetist’s instructions.
Patients will start to feel the effects of anaesthesia within a few seconds of it being administered. Most commonly, an individual will be asleep after 30 seconds of being administered with general anaesthetic.
The majority of the effects of general anaesthetic are temporary and should go away within 24 hours of being administered, however it’s not uncommon for some to linger for a few days. This is because a small amount of the anaesthetic may remain in your body and will usually present in the form of feeling tired, confused, lethargic or groggy.
Naturally, the time taken to recover from anaesthesia depends upon the type of anaesthesia administered and the patient’s individual circumstances.
Please note that you will be advised of a range of instructions for post-anaesthetic recovery including when it is appropriate to drive and drink alcohol. It is imperative that patients follow these instructions strictly.
