What is an Anaesthetist?
An anaesthetist is a fully qualified doctor who has then undergone further specialist and sub-specialty training to become an anaesthetist (also known as an anaesthesiologist).
From the time I started medical school to the time I became a fully qualified specialist cardiothoracic anaesthetist was 14 years.
In extremely simple terms, an anaesthetist is responsible for:
- Assessment of your medical issues as they relate to your anaesthesia
- Maintaining the function of your body during surgery including, but not limited to:
- Your breathing
- Your breathing
- Your heart rate and rhythm
- Your blood pressure
- Your kidney function
- Your blood function and blood volume
- Your acid-base function
- Managing the surgical stress to your body during the operation/procedure
- Insertion of intravenous, intraarterial and intracardiac lines
- Pain management during and after surgery
- Nausea and vomiting management during and after surgery
- Where indicated spinal anaesthesia, epidurals, paravertebral blocks and regional anaesthesia such as femoral nerve blocks etc.
- Where indicated intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography to assess your heart during heart surgery
- Where indicated bronchoscopy to look inside your lungs during lung surgery
