Welcome to the
Orthopaedic Ambulatory Surgical Center
Located at Mass General West in Waltham

Department of Anesthesiology

ANESTHESIOLOGY  MAIN

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• PATIENT INFORMATION

• TYPES OF ANESTHESIA

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Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)

All patients having anesthesia at the MGH Orthopaedic ASC will be admitted to the PACU after their surgery. While in the PACU theirvital signs will be monitored, pain management initiated, and fluidsadministered. The nurses in the PACU have extensive critical care experience and work under the direct supervision of the attendinganesthesiologist.The different patient's length of stay in the PACU will be variable. Discharge from the PACU to home will depend on meeting several criteria. First the patient must demonstrate recovery from their anesthetic. Secondly, Their vital signs are stable. Sometimes after surgery patients require medicines to help control their heart rate, blood pressure, respirations, or other metabolic disorders, e.g. diabetes. These patients may require a little more time in the PACU until their vital signs are stable. Thirdly, their post-operative pain management should be initiated and their pain under control and manageable. Fourthly the patient should not be experiencing severe nausea and vomiting. Again, this may prolong their PACU stay, as they will be treated in the PACU with medication until it subsides. Lastly, when all the above criteria are met, the patient will be given a trial of drinking and eating a snack. Visitation in the PACU is limited to avoid the risk of infection to other patients, to protect patient privacy, and to permit the PACU staff to concentrate on the care of all the post-surgical patients.Once the patient has met discharge criteria the patient's Intravenous will be removed and the patient will get dressed in preparation to leave. The patient and their accompanying responsible adult will then be given discharge instructions and a prescription for the pain medication prescribed by the surgeon.The patient, either walking or in a wheelchair, will then be escorted by an ASC employee to the lobby and discharged to a responsible adult.

TYPES OF ANESTHESIA
Anesthetic Options for your Surgery

• SEDATION

• GENERAL ANESTHESIA

• REGIONAL ANESTHESIA

REGIONAL ANESTHESTIC TECHNIQUES

• BIER BLOCK/IV REGIONAL

PERIPHERAL NERVE BLOCKS:

• ANKLE BLOCK·

• FEMORAL NERVE BLOCK

• INFRACLAVICULAR BLOCK 

• INTERSCALENE BLOCK

• POPLITEAL BLOCK

• SURACLAVICULAR BLOCK


POST-ANESTHESIA CARE

• POST-ANESTHESIA CARE UNIT (PACU)