How long do operations last

If, like lots of people, you're afraid of needles, the good news is that you may not have to get one while awake. Anesthesiologists often will begin the induction process by using a breathing mask to help you relax. The mask delivers medication to make you sleepy before and during the surgery.

That way, you won't be awake when the IV is inserted for general anesthesia or when a shot is given to numb a certain part or area of the body for local or regional anesthesia.

When using general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist will monitor your vital signs, continue to deliver anesthesia, and keep you as comfortable as possible throughout the operation.

Once the operation or procedure is over, you'll be taken to the recovery room or PACU post-anesthesia care unit. In the PACU, nurses and the anesthesiologist will monitor your condition very closely to make sure you are making a smooth and comfortable transition from an anesthetized state to an awakened state. If you had general anesthesia or were sedated, don't expect to be fully awake right away — it may take a while and you may doze off for a bit. It usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour to recover completely from general anesthesia.

In some cases, this period may be a bit longer depending on medications given during or after surgery. Although every person has a different experience, you may feel groggy, confused, chilly, nauseated, scared, alarmed, or even sad as you wake up. Depending on the procedure or surgery, you may also have some pain and discomfort afterward, which the anesthesiologist can relieve with medications.

When you have recovered from the anesthesia, you'll be evaluated to make sure you're ready to leave the recovery room. In many outpatient procedures, people are allowed to come home soon after the surgery is done.

Before you leave the hospital, you'll receive instructions for further recuperation at home and for a follow-up visit with the surgeon. Anesthesia is very safe. In today's hospitals and surgery centers, highly trained professionals use a wide variety of modern medications and extremely capable monitoring technology to ensure that people are stable and as comfortable as possible before, during, and after their procedure. Reviewed by: Judith A. Jones, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size.

Different Kinds of Anesthesia If you're having any kind of procedure or surgery, it's understandable to be a little uneasy. Remaining conscious allows you to answer questions that can help the surgeon identify areas of the brain affecting functions like vision, movement, or speech.

The surgeon uses that information to precisely target the treatment. In awake brain surgery, you still receive sedation and pain relief medication from your physician anesthesiologist, who will monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygenation and always remain at your side.

In addition, your surgeon may give you a local anesthetic to numb your scalp. You will not necessarily be fully aware or conscious during the entire procedure.

The physician anesthesiologist can adjust levels of medication during surgery to wake you only at necessary times. Even then, you may not need to be brought to a state of full consciousness in which you can speak. Instead, you may be brought to a state in which you can respond by squeezing a hand or giving some other signal. Some patients do not even remember they were awake. Preoperative discussions with your physician anesthesiologist can help reduce any anxiety you might feel about this type of surgery.

Physician anesthesiologists are also pain management specialists for conditions related to surgery. Before the operation, the physician anesthesiologist may ask about your pain tolerance to help gauge how best to manage any post-operative pain, guiding decisions such as the proper narcotics dosage and the feasibility of nonnarcotic pain relief medication.

The physician anesthesiologist will consult with you after surgery and may adjust your treatment based on the level of pain you are experiencing. This weighing of benefits and risks is especially important for pain relief medication taken during the first 24 hours after any major neurosurgical procedure.

Physician anesthesiologists are the most highly skilled medical experts in anesthesia care, pain management, and critical care medicine. They have the education and training that, in some circumstances, can mean the difference between life and death. Skip to content. What are some types of brain surgery? Fast Facts about Laparoscopic Appendectomy Appendectomy is an operation to remove the appendix when it has become inflamed; an inflamed appendix is called appendicitis uh-pen-di-SIGH-tus.

Appendicitis must be treated with surgery right away; if left untreated, the appendix could rupture burst and cause a life-threatening or fatal infection. The surgery will take about 1 hour. Your child will most likely go home within 24 to 36 hours after the surgery. If there is infection from the appendix bursting, he or she will be in the hospital from 5 to 7 days. What is Laparoscopic Appendectomy?

Preparing for the Surgery Most patients who need a lap appendectomy enter the hospital through the Emergency Department and are taken to surgery within a few hours.

Going to Sleep As the parent or legal guardian, you will be asked to sign a consent form before the anesthesia is given. If your child is very scared or upset, the doctor may give a special medication to help him or her relax. This medication is flavored and takes effect in about 10 to 15 minutes.

If you wish, you may be allowed to go with your child to the room where the surgery will be done and stay as the sleep medication is given.

Your child may choose a favorite scent to flavor the air flowing through the mask. There are no shots or needles used while your child is still awake. Older children may choose between getting their medication through the mask or directly into a vein through an intravenous IV line. When your child has fallen asleep, you will be taken to the waiting room. If it has not already been done, an IV will be started so that medication can be given to keep your child sleeping throughout the surgery.

The Surgery When your child is asleep, the surgery will begin. The surgeon will insert a thin tube with a camera through one of the incisions to see the appendix.

He or she also will insert a tube to start a flow of carbon dioxide, a harmless gas, into the abdominal space; the gas will puff up the abdomen to make more room to work. He or she will insert surgical instruments into the other incision s.

The surgeon also will remove the appendix through one of the incisions. Once the area is clean, the surgeon will release air from the abdomen.

Once the appendix is removed, your surgeon will close the incisions with a stapling device or a few sutures SOO-chers or stitches. These sutures will dissolve on their own and do not need to be removed. Steri-strips are thin adhesive strips that are sometimes used to close shallow cuts in the skin instead of stitches. Both the glue and the Steri-strips will fall off on their own as the incision heals. While Asleep While your child is asleep, his or her heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and blood oxygen level will be checked continuously.

Waking Up After surgery, your child will be moved to the recovery room to allow the anesthetic to wear off. Children coming out of anesthesia react in different ways. Your child might cry, be fussy or confused, feel sick to his or her stomach, or vomit.

These reactions are normal and will go away as the anesthesia wears off. While your child is in recovery, your surgeon will talk to you about the surgery.

This is a good time to ask questions about pain medications, diet, and activity. Once the anesthesiologist sees your child is recovering and his or her pain is controlled, he or she will be moved to his or her hospital room.