Activities in and out of the operating room

In-operative services include the full range of anesthesiologic procedures. Out-of-operative room services include consultations and specialist services, preoperative visits, delivery room analgesia, peripheral and/or central venous route laying.

Activities in the operating room

Operating room services include the full range of anesthesiological procedures. Depending on the type of surgery and preoperative anesthesiological evaluation, different anesthesiological procedures may be performed in the operating room.

General anesthesia

General anesthesia is achieved by administering intravenous and/or respiratory drugs that suppress both consciousness and perception. General anesthesia allows any type of surgery to be performed. During general anesthesia, breathing is provided artificially by a ventilator.

Loco-regional anesthesia

For many surgeries, there is the possibility of numbing only the part of the body undergoing the procedure. This procedure is called regional or loco-regional anesthesia.

Spinal/peridural anesthesia

Spinal anesthesia (also known as lumbar anesthesia) and peridural anesthesia (also known as epidural anesthesia) are central loco-regional anesthesia that are indicated in operations on the legs, pelvis, and lower abdomen (cesarean section, inguinal hernias, etc.). A local anesthetic (locally numbing drug) is injected into the cerebrospinal fluid (in spinal anesthesia), or into the epidural space existing outside the meninges (epidural or peridural anesthesia).


In doing so, after a few minutes the lower parts of the body become warm at first, then numb and immobile. The duration of anesthesia varies depending on the type of medicine used and can range from 45 minutes to a few hours.


During the procedure the patient may be put to sleep by administration of medication, may listen to music through earphones, or may remain fully awake and alert.

Peripheral loco-regional anesthesia

This type of anesthesia is achieved by injecting a local anesthetic (medication that makes you locally numb) near the peripheral nerves (previously identified with an ultrasound machine) that you wish to anesthetize. The duration of anesthesia depends on the type of medicine used and can range from 45 minutes to a few hours. During the procedure, the patient may be put to sleep by administration of medication, may listen to music through earphones, or may remain fully awake and alert.

Sedation (with or without local anesthesia)

For some procedures, there is the possibility of avoiding general anesthesia or loco-regional anesthesia. These are mainly procedures involving circumscribed areas of the body, such that the surgeon can perform the procedure with local anesthesia (e.g., placement of central venous accesses, cystoscopies, mole removal, etc.). In some cases, in addition to local anesthesia, sedation is offered to the patient in order to make the period spent in the operating room even more pleasant. In case of extracorporeal lithotripsy, sedation will be necessary. This type of anesthesia is performed by injecting a sedative directly into the vein.

Activities outside the operating room

The activities of the EOC Anesthesiology Service are not limited to the perioperative setting, but are carried out in all inpatient and outpatient situations where anesthesiologic consultations are needed or antalgic procedures are required:

  • Preoperative evaluation, consultation, and examination.
  • Acute/postoperative pain service:
    • Continuous loco-regional analgesia.
    • Patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCA).
    • Surveillance and controls of continuous analgesia.
    • Consultation for analgesia problems.
  • Surveillance and treatment of patients with threatened vital balance in the emergency room.
  • Specialist services in case of resuscitation, emergency intubations, etc.
  • Epidural analgesia for childbirth.
  • Laying peripheral and/or central venous routes, arterial catheters, withdrawals, lumbar punctures.
  • Anesthesia, MAC ± sedo-analgesia off-block (in ER, Delivery Room, Endoscopy, Radiology, etc.).
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration with the Intensive Care Service.

Activities Post Anesthesia Care Unit (UCPA)

Monitored post-anesthesia care aimed at better stabilization of vital functions and refinement of analgesic therapy.

The English version of this page was created with the aid of automatic translation tools and may contain errors and omissions.
The original version is the page in Italian.