Pain Management During Surgery

What to expect

Our anesthesiologists work alongside our surgical teams to maintain patient comfort and safety during surgery.

Pre-admission

Many patients will have a pre-admission appointment prior to the day of their surgery.

At this appointment an anesthesiologist will ask about your medical and surgical history. We will then work with you to decide on an anesthesia plan for your surgery that is specific to your needs.  

The type of anesthesia plan recommended for you may include the following:

• Local anesthesia which causes a small area of your body to become numb
• Sedation which makes you feel comfortable and relaxed
• Regional anesthesia which causes a large area of your body to become numb
• General anesthesia which causes you to become completely unconscious
• A combination of any of the above

Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so you may see medical students, residents or other medical trainees as part of your care. Learners are supervised by other members of our dedicated care team who work together to provide you with comprehensive care. 

During surgery

You will likely have a different anesthesiologist on the day of your surgery.
Your anesthesiologist will meet you before your surgery and explain what is about to happen. They will then administer your pain medication and stay with you to monitor your health throughout the surgery.

After surgery

After surgery you will be taken to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), where we will monitor your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing for at least one hour.

Depending on the type of surgery, an anesthesiologist from the Acute Pain Service may visit you to evaluate your pain levels and adjust pain medications for the first few days after surgery.