Questions to Ask Before the OR Is Booked

The single most important question to ask is:

'Does your anesthesia service routinely use brain monitors on patients receiving general anesthesia?'

Without a brain monitor, you will be over medicated out of concern for under-medicating you.

The risks of anesthesia over medication are substantial especially in patients over the age of 50.

Those risks include delirium, dementia and death.

The general pubic has already changed medical practice by getting fathers into the delivery rooms for the births of their children.

The same model for change is needed for brain monitors; i.e. either I have a brain monitor for my general anesthesia or I have to go 'down the street' where I can get this 21st century anesthesia care.

The 9 important questions to ask on your first visit with your surgeon are free from the non-profit Goldilocks Anesthesia Foundation web site.

Barry Friedberg, MD of CA 3:46PM April 30, 2010