IV Sedation
If you have a high degree of anxiety, or do not wish to remember the experience of the surgery, IV sedation affords you the luxury of taking a short nap and waking up at the end of the procedure. Before the procedure, medication is given through a small IV and you will begin to fall asleep. The numbing injection (Novocaine) will be given, but you will likely not remember it. Therefore, after you wake up, you will not experience any discomfort since the area will be numb. You will not be aware of the surgery and should remember nothing about the experience. For most conventional hospital surgeries, intubation (breathing tube) and paralysis are routinely administered. We do not use these techniques with our anesthesia and you will be breathing on your own throughout the procedure. This is far safer than conventional hospital anesthesia, and much less expensive.
Since you will have been heavily sedated, you will need a ride to and from the surgery appointment. Although you will be able to communicate and function on your own, you will likely not remember going home, as these medicines have a powerful amnestic effect. Therefore, a bus or cab ride home will not be permitted. You must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Additionally, you must have an empty stomach on the morning of surgery, except for a small amount of water taken with your premedication. Your stomach lining produces strong acids in response to even minimal amounts of food entering the stomach. When you are under anesthesia, your normal reflexes are depressed or absent. Therefore, if you vomit, you will not be able to control any stomach contents from entering your lungs. If these acids enter your lungs, the result could be severe, life-threatening damage. Even a glass of liquid or a bite of food is not allowed.
When administering IV sedation, we will monitor all vital functions. There will be additional costs for the necessary equipment and medications. Therefore, a nominal fee will be assessed for the procedure, depending on the duration of the surgery. Our administrative team will present the fees for the anesthesia, along with your estimated insurance coverage.