The first Anesthesia Annual Awareness Campaign “Towards safe Anesthesia” will commence today, Thursday 18th of February 2016, at “Red Sea Mall”. The Campaign is organized by King Abdulaziz Medical City– Jeddah represented by Anesthesiology Department in collaboration with the Saudi Board of Anesthesia. Anesthesiology Consultant, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Dr. Haifaa Kayal explained that awareness and education became an international and local strategy adopted by Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs. She stated that the first Anesthesia awareness campaign goals are:
- Provide awareness for society about Anesthesia and its importance in facilitating many surgical and non-surgical operations such as endoscopy and therapeutic and diagnostic radiography.
- Educating society about Anesthesia types, the importance of each type and ways of selecting the appropriate type for each patient.
- Changing some of the misconceptions that result from lack of knowledge or some important details..
- Diffuse some anesthesia related fears.
- The right way of prepping the patient for anesthesia and steps to be followed before anesthesia.
- Spreading awareness of the Epidural amongst pregnant ladies.
Dr. Haifa added that the awareness campaign includes 6 educational stations covering(General anesthesia, Spinal Anesthesia, Anesthesia Clinic, pediatric Anesthesia , -Birth without pain, Pain management). She also explain that one of the highlighted topics would be educating all women about the epidural through “Birth without pain” station. She further explained that the epidural means the use of frequent doses of the local anesthesia which anesthetize the nerves of the uterus. Cases that requires using the epidural are:
- Eclampsia Pregnancy-induced hypertension
- Giving birth to twins
- Having a heart disease
- Having diseases related to the brain and blood vessels
- Dead fetus inside the mother's womb
In addition, Dr. Haifaa Kayal talked about pain management saying that it leads to (Inability to concentrate - poor psychological state - insomnia - low immunity against diseases). She also pointed out that pain is either sever like the pain associated with accidents, burns and giving birth or the chronic pain like Joint pain and pain associated tumors and neuropathic pain. Regarding treatment methods, she said that there are several successful methods to control and manage the pain:
- Worm or cold packs.
- Physiotherapy.
- Acupuncture.
- Nerve stimulation.
- Panadol - Aspirin and similar drugs such as Voltaren.
Dr. Haifaa also pointed out that anesthesia is the main factor in developing modern surgery science as anesthesia is the procedure that allows the surgeon to perform any surgical intervention on the patient without causing him/her any pain, and the goal of visiting the anesthesia clinic is to help the patient and prepare him/her psychologically, mentally and physically for the surgery. The procedure in the anesthesia clinic covers asking the patient about his medical history, the physical examination, laboratory tests, discussing the anesthesia plan and options for the planned surgical operation.
The doctor pointed that there are points need to be highlighted regarding Anesthesia in order to prep the patient, such as:
- Stop smoking for a long period of time before the surgery.
- Keep using some prescribed medications until the surgery day such as medications for diabetes and blood presser and stop using others for several days such as blood thinners.
It is worth mentioning that the activities will be accompanied by organizing an awareness day at KAMC - Jeddah Outpatient clinics on the 28th of February 2016, with the participation of many internal sections and departments from the Ministry of National Guards - Health Affaires – western region and others.