Anaesthesia means "loss of sensation". Medications that cause anaesthesia are called anaesthetics. Anaesthetics are used for pain relief during tests or surgical operations, so that you do not feel any pain or touch, pressure or temperature.
Anaesthetics work by blocking the signals that pass along your nerves to your brain and there are several different types.
We provide compehensive anaesthetic and intensive care support for surgery, obstetrics and acute medicine.
Specialist interests of our consultants include vascular, colorectal, ENT (ear, nose and throat), paediatric surgery, trauma and orthopaedics (including revision joint surgery) and acute pain management.
Several consultants have specialist interests in regional anaesthesia, including ultrasound guided blocks. Our investment in state-of-the-art equipment to allow us to perform this kind of anaesthesia, which can bring a number of benefits for patients, featured in the local press and was also covered in an edition of the Trust's newsletter 'Newsround'.
A comprehensive multi-disciplinary service is provided for chronic pain management.
'The treatment I have received from all the staff has been excellent and could you extend my thanks to them all. A very thankful and relieved patient'.
Patient, Dermatology Outpatients Department, University Hospital of North Durham
