Urological Specialists

Generally your anaesthetist will review you before your operation on the day of your procedure.

If there are any specific concerns your specialist may arrange for an earlier pre-operative anaesthetic review. Additionally the pre-admissions dept. of the relevant hospital may identify issues that you have listed in the hospital pre-admission questionnaire that you completed when you booked your procedure. If that is the case the anaesthetist or hospital may contact you to seek clarification.

If you have any concerns about your anaesthetic or you would like to arrange to be reviewed by the anaesthetist prior to your surgery for a specific reason, please discuss this with Mr. Grills or Dr. McLeod or the Specialist Urology Nurse.

Depending on the type of surgery you are scheduled for, you will require one of the following types of anaesthetics. Your anaesthetist will discuss this with you and help you choose the one that is best for you.

Sedation
Sedation is generally used for minor procedures and in combination with local anaesthetic for example, a Flexible Cystoscopy. The aim is to have you in a sleepy and relaxed state without being unconscious. Generally, you will have no memories of the procedure, even though you may not be fully asleep.

Local Anaesthetic
Local anaesthetic is injected into the tissue near the surgical site. This is most commonly used to block the nerves in the particular area so no pain is felt during the procedure. Local anaesthetic is used for minor surgery for example, a Vasectomy is usually performed using this technique.

General Anaesthetic
During a general anaesthetic (GA) you will be placed in a carefully controlled medical state of unconsciousness for your entire operation. A combination of drugs and anaesthetic agents, which are administered intravenously via a needle, placed in a vein in your arm and via a mask whilst you breath in an anaesthetic gas. The anaesthetist maintains this state throughout your surgery by constantly monitoring your wellbeing. General anaesthetic is used for many surgical procedures ranging from short day surgery to major operations.

Spinal Anaesthetic
A spinal anaesthetic (SA) is a type of regional anaesthetic which numbs the part of the body being operated on from the waist down, for example, a TURP, Caesarian or hernia repair. A spinal anaesthetic is performed by injecting a local anaesthetic into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord, this produces a loss of sensation in the lower half of the body almost instantly.