Basic Concepts of Anesthesia

It is expected that surgeons have detailed and nuanced knowledge of the procedures they perform. It is equally necessary that surgeons have a working knowledge of anesthesia because it is important in patient selection for surgery, and for intraoperative factors including patient positioning and invasive monitoring. Proper care of the operative patient requires excellent communication and coordination between the surgical and anesthetic team. Providing optimal perioperative care for the patient requires the surgeon to understand the risks and benefits of each anesthetic approach and to relay potential portions of the procedure that may have a profound impact on the patient’s physiology so the anesthesiologist can properly prepare for it. With the increasing complexity of patients and the operations being performed, this ensures the best possible outcome. This review contains 6 figures, 13 tables, and 142 references. Key words: Local anesthetic, regional anesthesia, general anesthesia, sedation, cardiovascular risks, preoperative evaluation, difficult airway, perioperative medications, surgical risk calculators