The type of anaesthetic depends on the nature, site and duration of the surgery.
General Anaesthetic:
The patient is put into a state of unconsciousness for the whole operation. This involves either giving an injection of an anaesthetic drug or breathing an anaesthetic to make them sleep. While the patient remains unaware of what is happening around them the Anaesthetist monitors their condition closely and constantly adjusts the level of anaesthetic.
Local Anaesthetic:
The patient will be awake but the part being operated on is made numb by an injection. Examples include spinal and epidural anaesthesia, arm blocks and eye blocks. Local anaesthetic is injected into the major nerve pathways to the part of the body where the operation is, or local injection at the site of surgery. The patient can be wide awake, or if preferred, the Anaesthetist can give other drugs to make them relaxed and drowsy.
Sometimes a combination of these types of anaesthetic are used to produce the best result for the patient.
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