Anesthesiologist

Short Description

The anesthesiologist keeps you safely asleep and pain-controlled during surgery. They manage your airway, breathing, blood pressure, fluids, temperature, and nausea prevention so the new kidney has the best start.

Main Priorities

• General anesthesia: place a breathing tube, monitor oxygen and heart rhythm, and keep you fully asleep and pain-free.
• Blood pressure & fluids: maintain targets and give fluids/medicines so blood flow to the kidney stays steady.
• Lines & monitoring: start IVs; sometimes place an arterial line for close blood-pressure tracking.
• Temperature: use warmers to prevent getting cold (hypothermia slows healing and can raise risks).
• Pain & nausea plan: multimodal pain control and anti-nausea medicines during and after surgery.
• Safe wake-up: remove the breathing tube when you’re ready and hand off to the PACU team with a clear plan.

Issues They Work With

• Airway: prior neck/jaw problems, sleep apnea, or dental issues (loose teeth, bridges) that affect intubation.
• Nausea risk: past post-op nausea/vomiting (PONV), motion sickness—extra prevention can be given.
• Blood pressure swings: treat lows/highs quickly to protect the kidney and your heart/brain.
• Pain control: adjust meds; some centers add numbing blocks near the incision when appropriate.
• IV access: difficult veins, prior fistulas/grafts to avoid, or need for additional monitoring lines.
• Allergies & reactions: antibiotic or latex allergy, prior anesthesia problems—plan is tailored.

When to Go to Them

• Pre-op visit or call: review health history, prior anesthesia experiences, medicines, and fasting instructions.
• Day of surgery: confirm last food/drink time, last dialysis date/time (if applicable), and morning meds you took/held.
• Bring/tell: medication list with exact times, CPAP machine (if you use one), allergies, dental issues, past nausea or difficult airways, and any heart/lung problems.

What They Don’t Handle (Boundaries)

• They don’t set your long-term transplant medicines or clinic follow-up—your transplant team does.
• They don’t manage insurance, refills, or forms—coordinators and the inpatient team handle those.
• After you leave the recovery room, your first contact is the inpatient/transplant unit nurse; they loop in anesthesia if needed.

Informational only; practices vary by center. Follow your team’s specific instructions.