What is Anesthesiology and Reanimation?
Anesthesiology and Reanimation is the department responsible for managing and initiating the first stage of all surgical operations. The word "anesthesia" means "numbness, loss of sensation." Anesthesiology allows the patient to experience a controlled loss of consciousness at the beginning of the operation. This way, the patient does not feel pain and is not exposed to psychological effects. Anesthesia is applied when the patient's vital signs are within healthy ranges. Reanimation (resuscitation) is the method used to normalize severely damaged or temporarily halted vital functions. It is also the process of awakening an unconscious patient, who has just undergone surgery, using artificial respiration devices.
Anesthesiology and Reanimation Department Diagnosis and Treatment Services
In our hospital's Anesthesiology and Reanimation department, our specialist physician examines the patient before surgery and decides on the most suitable anesthesia method for the operation together with the patient. The types of anesthesia applied in our hospital can be listed as follows:
- General Anesthesia: This means that the patient's consciousness is fully lost under anesthesia. There are many anesthetic and analgesic drugs that can be selected based on each patient's characteristics. These drugs are used under the supervision of the anesthesia specialist.
- Regional Anesthesia: This refers to the numbing of a part of the body (such as the arm, leg, chest, etc.) by injecting a local anesthetic. There are different types, such as Spinal, Epidural, and Nerve Block.
- Spinal Anesthesia: This involves injecting the drug through a needle placed in the area surrounding the spinal cord by passing between the vertebrae in the lower back. The lower body becomes completely numb, and the legs become immobile. After the procedure, immobility in the legs lasts for 4-6 hours.
- Epidural Anesthesia: This involves inserting a needle between the vertebrae in the back or lower back, and placing a very thin tube (catheter) in front of the membrane surrounding the spinal cord. Anesthetic drugs are administered through this catheter to achieve numbness. The main difference from spinal anesthesia is that there is generally no loss of movement.
- Epidural-Spinal Combined Anesthesia: This method combines both approaches. In patients who require good muscle relaxation and immobility, spinal anesthesia is used to create a comfortable surgical environment, while drugs are administered through an epidural catheter for post-operative pain control.
- Regional Nerve Block: Frequently used in surgeries involving the arms and legs. Anesthetic drugs are injected around the nerves leading to the area of surgery to achieve numbness and immobility in that area.
- Local Anesthesia: Used in small surgical interventions to numb only the area where the procedure will be performed. This anesthesia shows its effect within 10-15 minutes and provides numbness in the targeted area without loss of consciousness or sensation.
- Sedation: This anesthesia method is applied in small surgical procedures (such as endoscopy, MRI, etc.) by administering drugs through an intravenous line to induce a light sleep state. All these methods provide temporary numbness and immobility. They are generally used to relax the patient, calm them, and alleviate their fears.
