Anesthesiology and pain management

Located in the western suburbs of Greater Boston, the Department of Anesthesiology at Newton-Wellesley Hospital provides anesthetics and pain management services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to patients in our operating rooms, our obstetrical suite and our pre-operative evaluation center.

Our team includes anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). And select anesthesiologists with subspecialty training and certification also provide care in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Pain Management Center. 

Using state-of-the-art equipment, our team performs expert care through general and regional anesthesia, as well as intravenous sedation in the hospital’s comfortable Surgical Center. We care for more than 13,000 patients each year during their treatments and provide many obstetrical patients with analgesia, or a type of painkiller, using advanced epidural and spinal techniques for labor and delivery.
 
Our anesthesiologists are faculty members at Tufts University School of Medicine, teaching medical students at the hospital. However, no interns or residents provide anesthesia care at Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Department of Anesthesiology, Newton-Wellesley Hospital
2014 Washington Street
Newton, MA 02462
Phone: 617-243-6298
Fax: 617-243-6184

The Role of Your Anesthesia Care Team

Anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are the members of your anesthesia team. They are responsible for keeping you safe and comfortable during and after your operation.

Your anesthesiologist and CRNA will speak with you on your day of surgery to review relevant details of your medical history, to describe what to expect before, during and after your procedure, and answer any anesthesia questions that you may have.

During your surgery, you will receive anesthetic medications through an intravenous (IV) line in your arm and, if you are having a general anesthetic, by inhalation after you are “asleep”. Your anesthesiologist and/or CRNA will stay with you throughout your entire surgery, administering medications, monitoring your vital signs, and ensuring your safety. After surgery, your anesthesia team will oversee your care in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU).

Members Of Your Anesthesia Care Team

Anesthesiologists are doctors who specialize in caring for patients before, during, and after surgery

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are nurses with advanced training who provide anesthesia care before, during, and after surgery.

 

Both Anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) work together as part of your care team. You can count on them to ensure your comfort, safety, and well-being before, during, and after your operation.

Types of Anesthesia Used During Surgery

• Local anesthesia: An anesthetic drug that numbs only a small, specific area of the body (for example, a foot, hand, or patch of skin). With local anesthesia, a person is awake or sedated, depending on what is needed. Local anesthesia lasts for a short period of time and is often used for minor procedures. The medicine used can numb the area during the procedure and for a short time afterwards to help control post-surgery discomfort.
• Regional anesthesia: An anesthetic drug that is injected near a cluster of nerves, and numbs a larger area of the body (such as below the waist, like epidurals given to women in labor). Regional anesthesia is generally used to make a person more comfortable during and after the surgical procedure. Regional and general anesthesia are often combined.
• General anesthesia: The goal is to make and keep a person completely unconscious (or “asleep”) during the operation, with no awareness or memory of the surgery. General anesthesia can be given through an intravenous line (which requires sticking a needle into a vein, usually in the arm) or by inhaling gases or vapors by breathing into a mask or tube.

What Type of Anesthesia Will I Get?

The type and amount of anesthesia given to you will be specifically tailored to your needs and will depend on various factors, including: the type of surgery the location of the surgery, how long the surgery may take, your current and previous medical condition, allergies you may have, previous reactions to anesthesia (in you or family members), medications you are taking, and your age, height, and weight. Your anesthesiology care team can discuss the options available, and will make a decision based on your individual needs and best interests.

SOURCES

• Types of Anesthesia – TeensHealth
• General Surgery Anesthesia Division – Massachusetts General Hospital