Going under the knife? What to know about anaesthesia before surgery

You don't think much about anaesthesia until you're told you need surgery – and that’s when you may be stumped by the options. Other than general anaesthesia (GA), you may be offered regional anaesthesia (RA), which may involve spinal anaesthesia or peripheral nerve block – depending on the kind of surgery you're undergoing. WHAT HAPPENS DURING GENERAL ANAESTHESIA (GA)? The anaesthetist is likely to first administer propofol, the most-commonly used intravenous anaesthetic agent, said Dr Yeo. What follows is likely an inhalational anaesthetic given through a mask, said Dr Yeo, which is used to maintain the GA.