Facing heart surgery and the accompanying anesthesia is daunting. At Winchester
Medical Center we have a dedicated cardiac team of highly-trained anesthesiologists
with broad experience in anesthesia for open-heart surgery, minimally
invasive cardiac surgery and procedures such as
TAVRs.
How it Works
Every patient is seen and examined by an anesthesiologist prior to surgery
to review important information and discuss the anesthetic plan. Every
effort is made to put patients and families at ease.
Once in the operating room, our priority is the safety and well-being of
every patient we care for. Every operating room is equipped for ultrasound-guided
line placements. We perform a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) for
every patient undergoing heart surgery with general anesthesia. This allows
the team to evaluate heart and valve function at any moment during the surgery.
Types of Anesthesia and Sedation
General Anesthesia General anesthesia puts you into a deep sleep so you do not feel pain during
surgery. You will be completely unconscious and unaware of the procedure.
This type is commonly used for open-heart surgery and other major operations.
Sedation Sedation helps you relax and feel calm. You may be awake but drowsy, or
lightly asleep, depending on the level of sedation. It is often used for
less invasive procedures or to ease anxiety before surgery.
Balanced Anesthesia We provide what's called a “balanced anesthesia” – a
combination of sedatives, anesthetic gases, and intravenous pain medications,
depending on what is best and safest for the patient. The goal is to keep
you comfortable while maintaining stable heart function, blood pressure,
and blood sugar levels.
Balanced Anesthesia
Our anesthesiologists monitor every patient in close collaboration with
the surgical team. The anesthesiology team monitors and adjusts medications
as needed to raise or lower the blood pressure, stimulate the heart and
control blood glucose levels. Our anesthesiologists also administer blood
transfusions as needed.
