In recent years, anesthesia has become the key to modern operative medicine. Thanks to the development of modern anesthesia and monitoring methods, a high degree of patient safety is guaranteed. With all operations under anesthesia, not only drug treatment and respiration, but also continuous monitoring of life-maintaining functions, is the main duty of the anesthetist. Alongside direct observation of patients, state of the art monitoring equipment is necessary and available. Local anesthesia, in which the patient retains consciousness and only the area of the body that is being operated on is kept free of pain, has boomed over the last few years. An additional advantage is that with these methods, freedom of pain continues hours after the operation. Local anesthetic methods are being increasingly applied by Villach anesthetists.

However, the duties of the anesthetist begin before the operation and anesthesia. The intended method of anesthesia is determined after studying the patient’s file and talking to the patient. For this reason, we ask you to meet the anesthetist in the department on the afternoon before your operation. After the operation and anesthesia, the recovery room (post-anesthesia) is available for all patients. The duration of the post-operative procedure depends upon the type of operation and anesthesia and is an important factor for your safety. In the case of major operations, the post-operative procedure may take several days in the anesthetic intensive care unit. Serious injuries and patients suffering from life-threatening illnesses are also treated by a specially trained team in the intensive care unit. In close collaboration with the other departments, special attention is paid to pain management. In addition, the Anesthesia Department is responsible for manning the ambulances with emergency physicians and for their training. Many of the well over 1000 emergency calls each year save patients’ lives.