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Anesthesiology

For the medical journals, see Anesthesiology (journal) and Anaesthesia (journal). For the song "Anesthetist", see Enter Shikari.
Anesthesiology
Anaesthesiology
Anaesthesia
Anaesthetics
An anesthesiologist controlling a patient's airway while inducing anesthesia
FocusAnesthesia, perioperative medicine
SubdivisionsIntensive care medicine
Pain medicine
Critical emergency medicine
SpecialistAnesthesiologist
Anaesthesiologist
Anaesthetist
Anesthesiology
Occupation
Occupation type
Specialty
Activity sectors
Medicine
Description
Education required
Fields of
employment
Hospitals, Clinics

Anesthesiology, anaesthesiology, or anaesthesia is the medical specialty concerned with the total perioperative care of patients before, during and after surgery.[1] It encompasses anesthesia, intensive care medicine, critical emergency medicine, and pain medicine.[2] A physician specialized in anesthesiology is called an anesthesiologist, anaesthesiologist, or anaesthetist, depending on the country.[3][4][5][6] In some countries, the terms are synonymous, while in other countries, they refer to different positions and anesthetist is only used for non-physicians, such as nurse anesthetists.

The core element of the specialty is the prevention and mitigation of pain and distress using various anesthetic agents, as well as the monitoring and maintenance of a patient's vital functions throughout the perioperative period.[7] Since the 19th century, anesthesiology has developed from an experimental area with non-specialist practitioners using novel, untested drugs and techniques into what is now a highly refined, safe and effective field of medicine. In some countries anesthesiologists comprise the largest single cohort of doctors in hospitals,[8][9] and their role can extend far beyond the traditional role of anesthesia care in the operating room, including fields such as providing pre-hospital emergency medicine, running intensive care units, transporting critically ill patients between facilities, management of hospice and palliative care units, and prehabilitation programs to optimize patients for surgery.[7][8]

  1. ^ "What is Anesthesiology". American Society of Anesthesiologists. Archived from the original on 2016-12-21. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Helsinki Declaration on Patient Safety in Anaesthesiology". European Society of Anaesthesiology. 12 June 2010. Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Anesthesiologist". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  4. ^ "WFSA Position Statement on Anaesthesiology and Universal Health Coverage" (PDF). World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Science Education – Anesthesia". National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Who are anaesthetists?". Royal College of Anaesthetists. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  7. ^ a b Pardo Jr M, Miller RD (2018). Basics of anesthesia (Seventh ed.). Philadelphia, PA. ISBN 978-0-323-40115-9. OCLC 969439509.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ a b "What do Anaesthetists do?". Royal College of Anaesthetists. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  9. ^ Wilkinson DJ (27 March 1999). "Career Focus: Anaesthesia". BMJ. 318: S2-7187. doi:10.1136/bmj.318.7187.2. S2CID 220131561.