Anesthesia

If you have ever come to Astera Health for a surgical procedure, then you have likely experienced anesthesia. Anesthesia is a medication that can reduce or completely prevent pain so that you can comfortably go through surgery.

What is Anesthesia?

So what is anesthesia? Put simply, it’s a medication that is used to stop you from feeling pain either by putting you in a sleep-like state or by blocking the pain sensations in a specific part of your body. It is used to keep you safe and comfortable during general or minimally invasive surgery.

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The types of anesthesia provided at Astera include:

General

When you’re under general anesthesia, you don’t feel any pain because you are completely unconscious. It might feel like you’re asleep, but the anesthesia has actually stopped your brain from receiving pain signals or responding to reflexes. Typically, general anesthesia is given through an IV or through an inhaled gas.

Local

You stay awake and alert during local anesthesia, which is used to block pain to a small, specific area of your body.

Regional

This blocks pain to a larger area of your body, such as your knee or an arm. One of the most common types of regional anesthesia is an epidural, which is injected into your spine to block pain in your lower body. It is often used in childbirth.

Monitored anesthesia care

You might also know this as conscious sedation. You stay awake but receive a mild sedative through an IV. It makes you sleepy while keeping you calm and relaxed. You’re able to follow instructions throughout the procedure, but you might not actually remember it happening once it’s over.

Which type is right for me?

Before you come in for your procedure, your provider and anesthetist will recommend the best option for you based on your health, the type of procedure you’re having, and your preferences.

Safe Care in a Safe Environment

Anesthesia services at Astera are provided by four certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). A CRNA is a medical provider who is specially trained in anesthesia. When you get put under anesthesia, your CRNA will manage your breathing and monitor your blood pressure and other vital functions throughout the entire procedure, working closely with the surgical team.

Anesthesia care is provided in a safe and modern environment with state-of-the-art anesthesia machines and monitors. Each CRNA is certified bi-annually by the Council on Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists and maintains certification in adult and pediatric advanced cardiac life support and neonatal resuscitation.

Astera’s CRNAs provide coverage for all scheduled procedures and a 24-hour on-call basis. Anesthesia care is provided to patients of all ages, from newborns to seniors.

In addition to surgical anesthesia, CRNAs provide:

Consultative services for pain management
Epidurals/Intrathecals for labor and delivery
IV starts
MAC sedation/analgesia for selected ER procedures (e.g., in pediatrics and dislocated joints)
MAC sedation for MRI/CT scans as needed (e.g., in case of claustrophobia)
MAC sedation for upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy
PICC lines
Regional blocks for orthopedic cases
Resuscitation care in trauma and cardiac/respiratory codes