General anesthesia is safe and common. Anesthesiologists are specialist doctors who have undergone many years of training. Your treating anesthesiologist will discuss what they believe is the best way to care for you during your procedure. 

In the preoperative area you’ll meet the anesthesiologist who will be responsible for your care. They may have a resident anesthesiologist or medical student working with them. They’ll discuss with you what their plan for the anesthetic involves and answer any questions you have. After you’ve changed into a patient gown, you’ll have an intravenous line placed by one of the nurses in the preoperative areas, and monitoring put on. 

When you arrive in the operating room this is what will happen:

• You’ll be attached to monitoring

• A team briefing with all of the people involved in your operation will occur

• You’ll be asked to breathe on an oxygen mask

• Your anesthesiologist will then give you medication through your intravenous line that makes you unconscious for your procedure. After you are asleep, they will place a breathing tube

• Depending on the procedure you are having, they will place extra intravenous and monitoring lines. These can be placed before or after starting the general anesthetic depending on your health

Your anesthesiologist will stay with you the whole time during surgery to make sure you are safe and comfortable. They may give a blood transfusion during the procedure if you need it. 

When the operation is finished your anesthesiologist will take you to the intensive care unit so you can recover from your operation. Depending on how the operation progresses you may be woken up in the operating theatre or in the intensive care unit.

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You will have an opportunity to ask questions if you have any prior to the procedure. While we have asked you to review this information, your anesthesiologist will review their personalized plan for your care with you on the day of surgery and discuss any risks that are relevant to you.