When you get to the theatre, you first go into an area called the anaesthetic room. This is where you will see the anaesthetist again and one of the theatre nurses. They will all be wearing theatre clothes including hats and masks.
Anaesthetics can be:
- General - This is when you are fully asleep.
- Local - Just the area where the procedure is going to be done is numbed. You may be given something to make you feel relaxed and possibly a bit sleepy as well.
- Regional - When a certain area/part of the body is numbed. Again, you might be given a tablet that will make you sleepy to help you relax.
An anaesthetic makes sure that you don’t feel anything during a procedure or an operation. Most operations are done under a general anaesthetic. This usually consists of a combination of drugs (given as an injection into a needle in your hand) or gases (that you breathe through a mask). With a general anaesthetic, you might feel a little bit dizzy or light headed at first, but you won’t feel a thing or be aware of anything during the surgery. The next thing you’ll know is when you wake up and it’s all over.
