Why are we writing this? Most people who have anesthesia for surgery have very little idea about what happens to the body during this period. Besides, anesthetic options available are not widely known. There is a lot of information available to us physicians, but very little, if any, is accessible to the lay public. With the information presented here, the fear of the unknown can be allayed, so that this most often stressful time can be made calmer.

The information contained in this book is a summary of some basic facts written in non-medical terminology. Unfortunately, in these changing times with the delivery of medical care so influenced by cost containment and rapid patient turn over, doctors are often unable to take the time to ensure that all of your questions are answered. Patients often have concerns but forget to ask them when they have the opportunity. Moreover, because the field of anesthesia is so specialized, information that you need may not be part of the knowledge base of a physician outside the specialty of anesthesia. It is our hope that patients can educate themselves with the aid of this book.

This is by no means a complete examination of the specialty of anesthesiology. It is a short and simple guide to figuring out the big picture.