EXPERT
Barbara Dodson
Anesthesiologist
Dr. Barbara Dodson is an anesthesiologist practicing in San Francisco, CA. Dr. Dodson ensures the safety of patients who are about to undergo surgery. Anestesiologists specialize in general anesthesia, which will (put the patient to sleep), sedation, which will calm the patient or make him or her unaware of the situation, and regional anesthesia, which just numbs a specific part of the body. As an anesthesiologist, Dr. Dodson also might help manage pain after an operation.
Barbara Dodson
- San Francisco, CA
- Medical College of Georgia
- Accepting new patients
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Is it safe to be under anesthesia when 5 years old?
Yes. There's even a pediatric subspeciality within Anesthesiology. As with any surgical procedure, I suggest your child to have their tonsillectomy done at a facility that routinely READ MORE
Yes. There's even a pediatric subspeciality within Anesthesiology. As with any surgical procedure, I suggest your child to have their tonsillectomy done at a facility that routinely does pediatric surgery.
What is procedural anesthesia?
Although all surgeries are procedures, not all procedures are surgeries. Examples of non-surgical procedures include colonoscopies, endoscopies and certain radiology procedures. READ MORE
Although all surgeries are procedures, not all procedures are surgeries. Examples of non-surgical procedures include colonoscopies, endoscopies and certain radiology procedures. For example general anesthesia is frequently needed for CAT or MRI scans for patients unable to lie still (infants and young children or adults unable to lie still for psychological and/or medical reasons).
Am I really paralyzed under general anesthesia?
Frequently, patients are giving a short acting muscle relaxant to aid in placement of an endotracheal tube (which both protects the patient from intraoperative aspiration and READ MORE
Frequently, patients are giving a short acting muscle relaxant to aid in placement of an endotracheal tube (which both protects the patient from intraoperative aspiration and for intraoperative ventilation) as part of induction of anesthesia. Patients receive intravenous anesthetic and hypnotic drugs before the muscle relaxant rendering patients amnesic to the muscle relaxants effect. A
Muscle relaxants may also be given intraoperatively to improve surgical access such as relaxing abdominal muscles during bowl surgery. The level of neuromuscular blockade is monitored using a neuromuscular stimulator, and observing the degree and strength of muscles, generally those of the hand, to electrical stimulation. Additional, a muscle relaxant reversal agent at the end of the procedure.
Despite anecdotal stories, it is extremely rare for patients to have any intraoperative awareness of their surgery, muscle blockade, etc., as anesthesia is induced and maintained using a combination of drugs including those specifically chosen for their amnesic and pain relieving properties. Although still quite rare, most case reports of intraoperative awareness occur either during emergency caesarean sections under general anesthesia, where the Anesthesiologist is trying to limit the amount of anesthetic agent received by the baby prior to delivery, or during emergency trauma surgery, where the Anesthesiologist must balance inducing anesthesia and amnesia with the effects of anesthetic agents on blood pressure in patients with severe trauma and blood loss.
Muscle relaxants may also be given intraoperatively to improve surgical access such as relaxing abdominal muscles during bowl surgery. The level of neuromuscular blockade is monitored using a neuromuscular stimulator, and observing the degree and strength of muscles, generally those of the hand, to electrical stimulation. Additional, a muscle relaxant reversal agent at the end of the procedure.
Despite anecdotal stories, it is extremely rare for patients to have any intraoperative awareness of their surgery, muscle blockade, etc., as anesthesia is induced and maintained using a combination of drugs including those specifically chosen for their amnesic and pain relieving properties. Although still quite rare, most case reports of intraoperative awareness occur either during emergency caesarean sections under general anesthesia, where the Anesthesiologist is trying to limit the amount of anesthetic agent received by the baby prior to delivery, or during emergency trauma surgery, where the Anesthesiologist must balance inducing anesthesia and amnesia with the effects of anesthetic agents on blood pressure in patients with severe trauma and blood loss.
