Information for Patients :: FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
• Can I choose my anesthesiologists?
• How many cases do you do per year?
• Are all physicians board certified and licensed?
• Can I take my morning medications with water?
• Why do we ask that patients fast overnight before elective procedure?
• Do these fasting rules pertain to all patients?
• Why is it so important that I have an empty stomach - won't my glucose go very low?
Q: Can I choose my anesthesiologists?
A: The assignment of anesthesiologists to certain rooms, surgeons or patients is fairly complicated due to a very large number of surgical procedures done at Sarasota memorial Hospital each day. Anesthesiologists are usually assigned in one specialty area for any given day and so we usually do not allow patients to choose any particular anesthesia provider.
Q: How many cases do you do per year?
A: We do about 35,000 cases per year. This includes about 1500 open heart procedures and 1500 C-sections.
Q: Are all physicians board certified and licensed?
A: Yes, all our physicians are board certified anesthesiologists and licensed to practice medicine in the state of Florida.
Q: Can I take my morning medications with a water?
A: Yes, you may take medications in the morning of surgery with small sip of water. Please check with your physician prior to the date of surgery which medications you should and should not take the morning, or even days before your scheduled surgery. If you have particular concerns you may call our pre-op testing center at 917-1440 or 917-2626.
Q: Why do we ask that patients fast overnight before elective procedure?
A: Surgery start times often changes unexpectedly and with a longer NPO time we are more flexible in the scheduling. Furthermore it is much easier and much less confusing to ask patients to not eat anything past midnight rather than to anticipate and explain up to what time what foods can be ingested based on there expected surgery start time.
Q: Do these rules pertain to all patients?
A: No. Patients with diabetes, recent injuries, abdominal complaints, grastroesophogeal reflux disease or and patients who are pregnant or recently delivered often have longer stomach emptying times. Your anesthesiologists will individualize these guidelines for you. Though medicine is a very scientific field, much research needs to be done and hence physicians may disagree as to the optimal therapy and therefore may differ in their recommendations. Because your anesthesiologists will have talked with you, he or she will be responsible for making all final decisions in regards to your care.
Q: Why is it so important that I have an empty stomach - won't my glucose go very low?
A: During the induction of general anesthesia and during conscious sedation, your stomach and esophagus (food tube) relax and make it possible for food to move up into your mouth from were you may aspirate it down your trachea (wind pipe) into your lungs. Such aspirate is usually very acidic (pH around 1-3) and can cause severe damage to your lungs requiring artificial ventilation and hospitalization. Although occurrence of this may be rare, it's effects can be devastating. As your anesthesia care team we want to minimize all possible risks.
A: Your body can maintain stable glucose levels for more than 24 hours without supplemental food intake. Exceptions to this rule include patients with diabetes who take medications, patients with extensive liver disease and small children. For these patients the anesthesiologist will sometimes order glucose containing IV solutions and/or check their glucose levels before and/or after surgery..