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Anaesthetics

We care for patients who need an anaesthetic for planned and emergency surgery, and routine procedures.

The Anaesthetic department is one of the largest in our hospitals. Our team includes over 20 specialist doctors, over 40 consultants and a large number of trainees. We see patients in 25 operating theatres at Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville Hospitals including:

  • spinal injuries
  • accident and emergency
  • burns and plastics
  • breast and endocrine surgery
  • trauma and orthopaedics
  • ophthalmology (eye care)
  • oral surgery
  • urology
  • ear, nose and throat (ENT surgery)

We also provide services in other areas such as pre-operative assessment, day procedures (including tests), acute and chronic pain, accident and emergency, resuscitation and critical care.

We’re heavily involved in training doctors and other staff within the department, throughout the Trust and beyond.

Our recovery team cares for all types of post operative patients from the minor to the more complex. We also care for patients needing high dependency and intensive therapy.

What to expect before surgery

We’ll invite you for an re-operative assessment appointment when you’re listed for surgery, or for chronic pain referrals via your GP or other hospital teams.

You’ll meet your anaesthetist before coming into theatre on the day of your operation.

Specialist services

 

We provide an anaesthetic service to children of all ages. At Wycombe Hospital nwe have a day case ward for children who need dental, ENT, urology, plastic and orthopaedic surgery.

At Stoke Mandeville Hospital, we have 2 theatre complexes for different specialities; general and emergency surgery, plastic surgery and trauma (New Wing), and day surgery theatres and ophthalmology/dental surgery (Mandeville Wing).

Children may need to stay overnight following surgery, predominantly on ward 3.

What to expect before your child’s elective surgery

We pre-assess all planned (elective) paediatric patients, mostly with a screening questionnaire, and if necessary, with a follow up phone call. Your child will rarely need to visit the hospital for their pre-assessment.

We cover all aspects of the journey through surgery, provide pain relief and pre-medication as required.

If you and your child feel nervous

You can get a virtual tour of the operating theatre at the hospital where your child will have their surgery. It will help familiarise you both with the important areas in the hospital and may help you and your child feel more settled.

Download the ‘Little Journey’ app for your Apple or Android device and choose the relevant hospital (Stoke Mandeville or Wycombe).

You can also find out more about your child’s general anaesthetic to help you understand what to expect.

What happens on the day of surgery

We’ll come and see you on the ward on the day of surgery to discuss the anaesthetic and your child’s medical history.

After your child’s surgery

We work closely with our paediatric colleagues if they’re concerned about a particularly sick child, who may require a period of ventilation, invasive monitoring or transfer to a specialised paediatric intensive care unit.

 

We provide an anaesthetic service to the maternity unit at Stoke Mandeville 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We help pregnant women both before, during and after birth and provide pain relief methods for labour including epidurals. We also provide anaesthesia for delivery (caesarean section and planned caesareans, and more complex deliveries such as forceps).

We work closely with the obstetric and midwifery team to build individualised care plans for childbirth.

Our team also runs high risk obstetric anaesthetic clinics for mothers with complex pregnancies and specific medical issues.

Find out more about the pain relief options for labour 

Contact

Anaesthetic Department - Wycombe Hospital
Paediatric anaesthesia - Wycombe Hospital
Paediatric anaesthesia - Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Anaesthetic Department - Wycombe Hospital

01494 426525 / 01494 426523

Paediatric anaesthesia - Wycombe Hospital

01494 425506

Paediatric anaesthesia - Stoke Mandeville Hospital

01296 316416