{"id":23184,"date":"2023-02-03T21:32:14","date_gmt":"2023-02-03T21:32:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/?p=23184"},"modified":"2023-02-03T21:32:14","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T21:32:14","slug":"anesthesia-recovery-fearless-0223","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/anesthesia-recovery-fearless-0223\/","title":{"rendered":"Before and After the Anesthesia Wears Off"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even the most adept veterinary caregivers in anesthesia and pharmacology hold the anesthetic recovery period with the utmost reverence. Yet, we know it can be the time for the development of upper airway obstructions, post-surgical arrhythmias, malignant hyperthermia and other potentially life-threatening complications. Sometimes, these issues happen despite the team\u2019s incredibly thorough planning and drug selection.<\/p>\n

But while such crises stay top of mind postoperatively, we often fail to consider our patients\u2019 emotional health during those critical times. Pain, stress, anxiety and fear play a substantial role in how patients recover inside and outside the hospital and can affect their immune health and wound healing.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s consider three essential parts of the recovery period and how we can create the safest and smoothest journey home for patients.<\/p>\n

1. The Emotional Response<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Safer anesthesia<\/a>, through lower doses of sedatives and anesthetic drugs, can reduce or eliminate a patient\u2019s stress, anxious thoughts and fear. The result is helpful during routine surgical procedures and for patients who are critically ill, have comorbidities, or have compromised cardiovascular, respiratory or neurologic systems.<\/p>\n

However, the reality in many veterinary hospitals is much different. A typical morning reveals the admission of emotionally stressed patients whose fear and anxiety increase as the day goes on, inadvertently creating a greater anesthetic risk.<\/p>\n

The good news is that from time to time, many of our canine and feline patients are seen for a pre-anesthetic exam, bloodwork or a client discussion about an upcoming procedure. That\u2019s an important time to discuss the pet owner\u2019s expectations, address the travel experience and assess the patient\u2019s body language in the hospital.<\/p>\n

For patients demonstrating the need for emotional support, we can add a step to the pre-surgical instructions. Sending home anxiolytics for use the night before and the morning of admission can reduce fear, stress and anxiety, lowering anesthetic needs. Thankfully, we have many cost-effective drug choices with excellent safety profiles and few drug interactions.<\/p>\n

Such drugs also may be given before discharge to support a calmer ride home and immediately afterward.<\/p>\n

2. The Recovery Environment<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve all had patients who had what the medical record commonly calls a \u201crough recovery.\u201d However, I challenge my colleagues to answer this: How many of your teams held a debrief to transparently investigate why the recovery was rough? Was it the anesthetic cocktail, the depth of anesthesia, a minimal pre-med, a quick transition of anesthetic planes, or all the above? We usually get myriad reasons, but we rarely consider how emotional stress factors into the equation.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself:<\/p>\n