Anesthesiology is the practice of
medicine dedicated to the relief of pain and the total care of
the surgical patient before, during, and after surgery. Without
anesthesia, many of modern medicine's greatest benefits would
not exist.
The anesthesiologist is the
preoperative physician (peril meaning “all-around”) who provides
medical care to patients throughout their surgical experience.
This includes evaluating the patient before surgery
(preoperative), consulting with the surgeon, providing pain
control and monitoring life functions during surgery
(intraoperative), supervising care after surgery
(postoperative), and medically discharging the patient from the
recovery unit.