«The best remedy for fears is the preliminary discussion in the anaesthesia consultation»
Dr Henrik Sjöström, Head of Anaesthesia at Bethesda Hospital
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22. March 2022
Sleep safely and soundly during the operation
Today, anaesthesia is safe and has few side effects thanks to modern medication and the best possible monitoring. Patients are in the best hands with the anaesthesia team at Bethesda Hospital.
Artificial sleep during an operation is a scary experience for many people. This makes careful preparation all the more important. The best way to combat fears is to discuss them in advance.
"In the anaesthesia consultation, we demonstrate that anaesthesia is a safe procedure nowadays. This is because we constantly monitor the heart, circulation and lungs using state-of-the-art equipment. This gives you a lot of security," explains Dr Henrik Sjöström, Head of Anaesthesia at Bethesda Hospital. In the preliminary discussion
Questions can be asked and concerns cleared up.
Dr Henrik Sjöström, Head of Anaesthesia at Bethesda Hospital
The anaesthesia specialists then tailor the medication mix to the individual circumstances. "When determining the dosage, we take into account the patient's gender, height and weight as well as any secondary illnesses." To see how deep the patient's sleep is, the anaesthetists continuously measure brain waves and observe every single breath
anaesthetists continuously measure brain waves and observe every single breath. This allows them to constantly see how the body is reacting to the medication and intervene immediately if necessary. The anaesthesia team does everything it can to create a calming atmosphere during induction of anaesthesia.
"We try to bring the patients down a little in this exceptional situation. We use music and distraction to do this. For example, we remind them of their last holiday experiences and make sure they use positive language. That's helpful." Thanks to the high level of technical and professional
monitoring and empathetic support, many people wake up amazed at how well things went.
Back on your feet quickly after the anaesthetic
Some people still fear waking up during the operation. Precisely because anaesthesia has become so safe, patients with complex diseases can now also benefit from an operation. This was not possible in the past. In many cases, operations are also performed under partial anaesthesia. At
Bethesda Hospital has a long tradition of this method. "In the 1990s, practically all operations were performed under partial anaesthesia. We have taken this up and developed it further. If possible, we always offer this option." This method is gentler, especially for the elderly with multiple illnesses, but is medically
This method is gentler, but medically equivalent to general and partial anaesthesia, explains anaesthetist Dr Sjöström.
Anaesthesia is well tolerated today
Because the anaesthetic drugs are extremely short-acting, freshly operated patients usually recover quickly. After a short operation, you are usually on your way home again after just a few hours. "Of course you still feel a little tired in the first few hours. However, this is not only due to the anaesthetic, but always in combination with the operation."
And because prophylactic anti-nausea medication is given during the anaesthetic, the feeling of well-being is much better today. Generally speaking, there is no need to fear either the anaesthetic itself or its long-term effects. For example, studies have shown that anaesthesia does not increase forgetfulness in patients with dementia.