The Department of Anaesthesiology at Sengkang General Hospital comprises a team of dedicated anaesthesia specialists who provide expert perioperative care to patients in a comprehensive and compassionate manner. In addition to being specialists in general anaesthesia, the anaesthesiology team also comprises specialists with a wide range of expertise in various sub-specialities e.g. neuroanaesthesia, cardiothoracic, transplant, obstetric and paediatric anaesthesia, pain management and intensive care. The Department is also part of Singhealth’s Anaesthesia Academic Clinical Programme and actively contributes to teaching and mentoring of undergraduate and postgraduate doctors. The Department constantly seeks new ways to improve patient care and safety by promoting value and quality through clinical audit, research, publication, and innovation.
As a perioperative physician involved in the surgical patient’s journey, the anaesthesiologist, in collaboration with other specialists, ensures that a patient is optimised and prepared for surgery by a thorough review of his/her medical status. Intra-operatively, the anaesthesiologist formulates and individualises an anaesthetic plan, tailored to the patient’s medical history, type of surgery, pain relief and post-operative care requirements with quality equipment. The anaesthesiologist is present throughout surgery and anaesthesia, monitoring the patient’s condition whilst titrating the depth of anaesthesia, pain relief, drugs and fluids, always mindful of the patient’s safety, comfort and care.
Clinical services provided by the Department include:
The anaesthesiologist oversees the Post Anaesthesia Care Unit where the patient is monitored and recovered after anaesthesia and surgery. Painkillers and other medications are titrated till the patient is comfortable and stable for discharge to the ward.
SKH Anaesthesiology department provides pain management services which aim to improve the quality of lives of patients with chronic cancer and non-cancer pain. The centre helps these patients restore function and manage chronic pain, using a multi-pronged approach by addressing medical, physical, and psychological aspects of pain. The services provided by the Centre include
Some of our anaesthesiologists are dually accredited in intensive care medicine and are visiting consultants to the Department of Intensive Care Medicine which provide evidence-based care to critically ill adult patients in a multidisciplinary environment.
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General anaesthesia is a reversible state of unconsciousness without recall that is delivered by intravenous medication or an anaesthetic gas. General anaesthesia is used for a wide range of surgical procedures.
There are three main types of anaesthesia: local, regional and general anaesthesia which has been explained above. Local anaesthesia is administered and numbs only around the area for surgery. This is usually appropriate for minor surgery where the area of excision is small. You are conscious throughout the medical procedure but are free from any pain (e.g. dental extraction). Regional anaesthesia is achieved by injecting an anaesthetic agent near the relevant nerves which supply a larger and deeper part of the body. This can be administered for some types of major surgery (e.g. spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section). Sedation can be administered during surgery to ensure your comfort.
All medical or surgical treatment entails some risks. However, surgery and anaesthesia are safer today due to advances in science. Surgical and anaesthetic risks are reduced through a thorough pre-operative evaluation and optimisation, an individualised anaesthetic plan and appropriate post-operative management. As a perioperative physician, the anaesthesiologist is actively involved and present during the entire perioperative patient journey to ensure the best outcome for the patient.
It is vital to inform your anesthesiologist of any allergies you may have. Allergies specific to anesthetic agents are rare. Apart from medicines, some patients are allergic to rubber, plastic and adhesives or cleaning agents. Your medical providers need to know what you are allergic to and how you react to those allergens. Allergic reactions range from skin rashes, hives, breathing problems. Your anesthesiologist can often find safe, alternative ways of providing anesthesia without using medications that may have caused problems in the past.
SKH’s team of anaesthesiologists are like your primary care physician and surgeon. They specialise in anaesthesia care, pain management and critical care medicine, and have the necessary knowledge to understand and treat the entire human body. The team is trained in dealing with acute and chronic pain management, and a wide spectrum of medical conditions. Ask your doctor about a referral to our anaesthesiologist who specialises in treating your condition. SKH offers a full range of anaesthetic specialties including clinical anaesthesia, surgical intensive unit and pain management.
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