Anesthesiology refers to the study of anesthesia induced by anesthetic agents for the purpose of medical, usually surgical, procedures, pain management, and intensive care. To make invasive treatments more comfortable for the patient and also to make procedures easier for the physician, anesthesiologists administer partial or general anesthesia.
What is anesthesiology?
Anesthesiology is the study of anesthesia induced by anesthetic agents for the purpose of medical, usually surgical, procedures, pain management, and intensive care. The specialist in anesthesiology is responsible for choosing the right anesthetic, the correct dosage, the pre- and postoperative care of the patient, and during the procedure also for monitoring vital signs and intervening if necessary. Because certain pre-existing conditions or dispositions pose a higher risk during general anesthesia, it is important for the anesthesiologist to have a thorough knowledge of the patient’s history. Anesthesiology is a field of medicine that often comes into contact with other fields due to its broad scope of application. A need for anesthesiologists can arise in any case where pain exists in the patient, a surgical procedure is needed, or the patient is receiving intensive care. Anesthesia can be local, regional or general. In local anesthesia, a clearly defined area is anesthetized, for example, to perform surgical procedures there, to clean a wound, and others. In regional anesthesia, an area of the body is anesthetized. Both types of anesthesia have no effect on consciousness. So, the patient is awake during the treatment, but does not feel any pain in the anesthetized area. In addition to providing physical relief, this also has the advantage that the patient does not flinch or tense up in the event of pain caused by the procedure, which could result in injury. General anesthesia also affects the patient’s consciousness. In addition, insensitivity to pain and immobility are also induced.
Treatments and therapies
It is difficult to assign anesthesiology to specific medical specialties or diseases. A variety of possible medical subspecialties may have cases in which anesthesia is necessary. However, this is particularly the case in surgery, emergency medicine, intensive care medicine, and pain management. Surgical procedures, for their part, can have their origins in all sorts of medical conditions; tumor treatments, plastic surgery, jaw surgery, appendectomies and tonsillectomies, gynecological procedures, organ transplants, and gastric ulcer removals are just a few of the possible treatments that may require general or local anesthesia. Treatment of wounds and injuries resulting from accidents also often requires anesthesia. The anesthesiologist’s responsibilities rarely include making diagnoses or suggesting treatments. For example, the decision as to whether a patient’s condition should be reduced or eliminated by surgery, rather than by drug or other treatment, is the responsibility of the attending specialist. Particularly in the case of general anesthesia, however, the anesthesiologist must have precise knowledge of the patient’s medical history in order to provide the correct anesthesia with as little risk as possible. In particular, cardiac diseases, drug intolerances and the patient’s general condition are taken into account by the anesthesiologist. Pain management is another major area of use for anesthesiologists. They frequently monitor accident victims or patients receiving intensive medical care and their vital functions, even if general anesthesia was not used. If their condition worsens or they develop pain, the anesthesiologist may resort to anesthetic or narcotic medications to provide relief to the patient. Especially in intensive care, there may be a need for artificial respiration, for which the patient is sedated.
Diagnosis and examination methods
Local anesthesia usually involves injecting a drug specifically into the area to be anesthetized to eliminate the sensation of pain there. Other options include the application of anesthetic ointments or sprays. This is useful for minor procedures, such as the treatment of small wounds.Suturing of the same can also be facilitated by prior anesthesia. Regional anesthesia, such as peridural anesthesia (PDA for short), involves anesthetizing nerve plexuses that are responsible for a specific area of the body. They are usually of more extensive effect than procedures referred to as “local anesthesia.” However, medical terminology is not standardized. PDA, as an example of regional anesthesia, numbs the body from a specific point in the spine downward. The ability to move this area is also lost during the effective period. This type of anesthesia is often used for deliveries because it is not necessary for the mother to be unconscious, while a very limited local anesthetic would not work to the full extent against the pain. To decide whether general anesthesia is feasible for the patient or poses too high a risk, tests such as an ultrasound of the heart or a pulmonary function test may be performed. During general anesthesia, the patient’s vital functions are continuously and thoroughly monitored and displayed on monitors. The body is so extensively sedated that even independent breathing is not possible. Therefore, patients under general anesthesia are artificially ventilated by means of a so-called intubation, which takes over the function of the lungs. Pulse, heart activity and blood pressure are monitored, and in the event of threatening abnormalities, the anesthesiologist is also alerted by the system through acoustic warning tones and can quickly take countermeasures. For example, the patient’s drug intolerance to one of the anesthetics used may be unknown until the time of surgery. He also remains with or available to the patient after surgery for follow-up care, as minor and rarely life-threatening complications can often occur postoperatively.
