Anesthesiology

When you receive care at MedStar Health, you can expect to work with a compassionate team of providers that may include:

• Anesthesiologist: A doctor specially trained to keep you safe and comfortable before, during, and after medical and surgical procedures using anesthetics.
• Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant: A highly skilled provider trained to provide anesthesia under the direct supervision of an anesthesiologist.
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist: An advanced practice clinician who is certified to administer anesthesia and care for patients recovering from anesthesia under the direction of an anesthesiologist.
• Registered Nurse: A health professional trained to care for all ill or injured patients.
• Surgeon: A doctor specially trained to operate on patients.

To keep you safe, there are specific instructions about when to stop eating and drinking. Your care team will advise you on when to stop eating or drinking before a procedure to ensure a safe procedure and prevent nausea. The following are general guidelines for adults over the age of 18:

Here is a sample schedule of when to stop eating and drinking, based on your scheduled arrival time.

Guidelines for pediatric patients (ages newborn-18 years)

Pediatric patients should follow the above guidelines, as well as the following recommendations:

Exceptions

Please note that some surgeries may or may not require you to fast. Please discuss during your preoperative evaluation whether or not the above NPO guidelines should be modified if you have any of the following conditions:

Be sure to follow the instructions from your surgeon or anesthesia care team. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in delay or cancellation of the procedure.

Read more about preparing for anesthesia.

Typically, your provider will either advise you to continue taking your regular medications. However, you may be instructed to change your medication schedule or STOP taking certain medications, depending on your procedure and medical history. Talk to your anesthesia provider about the following medications: 

• Blood pressure medications: If you are on blood pressure medications, talk to your doctor about whether or not you should take a dose the night before surgery. When you receive anesthesia, your anesthesiologist or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist will monitor your blood pressure before, during, and after surgery and will deliver more medication through your IV, if you need it.  
• Diabetes medications: If you take pills for diabetes, your doctor will likely recommend that you take the evening dose the night before surgery but refrain from taking the morning dose on the day of your procedure. If you are on insulin, talk to your doctor about lowering your dose on the morning of the surgery. When you arrive for surgery, let your care team know that you are diabetic. They will monitor your blood sugar to ensure it remains at a safe level. 
• Blood thinning medications (anticoagulants, aspirin): If you take medication to prevent blood from clotting, your anesthesia care team will advise you to discontinue the medication a few days before surgery. If you take aspirin, your doctor and anesthesia team will discuss with you whether you should stop or continue taking it before your surgery.

Read more about preparing for anesthesia.

Prior to your procedure, your care team will determine the best type of anesthesia to manage your pain while preparing you for a safe recovery. Our anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are experts in a variety of pain-relieving techniques, so you don’t feel any pain during your surgery.

This varies from person-to-person, but patients are able to recover much more quickly and safely today thanks to innovative technology and pain management techniques.

Prior to your surgery, your care team will talk with you about a postoperative plan to manage your pain. While you will have discomfort following your procedure, our anesthesia providers are experts in helping patients recover quickly and safely with minimal pain. 

Your anesthesia team will use a variety of techniques before surgery to proactively minimize your pain before your procedure. Following your surgery, you can expect the same care and attention to relieving your pain as your anesthesia team works to minimize opioid use when possible.

Your anesthesiologist may use one or more of the following pain management techniques after surgery:

• Epidural anesthesia: Your anesthesia provider will place a thin tube, called a catheter, in your back. The tube remains there throughout the procedure so your care team can deliver medicine through the catheter as you need it. Following surgery, you will continue to receive pain relief medication through the catheter.
• Nerve blocks: Medication is injected around large nerve groups to reduce pain in a specific area of the body.
• Opioid medications: Pills taken orally to manage pain.