What is Anesthesia?
Anesthesia is used to eliminate the pain of surgery. Ether was first used in 1846 to make patients comfortable during surgery. Today there are many types of anesthetic agents and techniques that are used to make surgery safer and more comfortable.

The two basic kinds of anesthesia are general, in which the whole body is anesthetized, and regional, in which a certain area is anesthetized.

General
General anesthesia is used for major surgical procedures requiring prolonged unconsciousness. While unconscious, a machine using an endotracheal (breathing) tube will carefully control your breathing and your vital signs will be closely monitored. As you regain consciousness, you may experience a period of confusion and feel some pain, soreness in the throat and nausea. These side effects may persist for a few days. Medication may be needed to control the pain.

Regional
In regional anesthesia, a specific area of the body is anesthetized. You may also be given additional medication to help you relax. This sedation allows you to feel calm and comfortable and drift in and out of light sleep. This is called monitored anesthesia care or MAC. You are not unconscious. The types of regional anesthesia are as follows: spinal, epidural, nerve blocks, local anesthetic.

Choosing an anesthetic that is right for you will be done after the anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist has conferred with your surgeon, reviewed your medical history and talked to you. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Explore all the options available with your surgeon and anesthesiologist.