Anaesthesia

As of Monday, January 23, 2023, Michael Garron Hospital’s Preoperative Assessment Clinic has moved to T1 in the new Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre. The Thomson Centre is located on MGH’s campus at the corner of Coxwell and Sammon Avenues.

Michael Garron Hospital's (MGH) department of anaesthesia is committed the highest standard of care to the patient undergoing surgery. This includes a continued emphasis on patient safety and quality. Your anaesthesiologist will perform a careful preoperative evaluation of your health status in order to care for you during your surgery. This may occur in the preoperative assessment clinic in advance of surgery or on the day of your surgery. The anaesthesiologist then performs a checklist of all equipment necessary to provide you with a safe and pain free anesthetic during surgery.

Once in the operating room, your anaesthesiologist may discuss with you the type of anaesthesia administered to you. It may be a complete general anaesthetic or a regional anaesthetic where a region of your body only is anaesthetized. Options for pain control after surgery may also be discussed including oral medication, intravenous medication or local anaesthetics and delivered to areas of your body where you have had surgery.

Your anaesthesiologist will also participate in the World Health Organization (WHO) surgical safety checklist with all members of the surgical team to ensure “all systems are go” prior to the administration of your anaesthesia. During your surgery your vital functions are closely monitored and anaesthesia is maintained with your anaesthesiologist in attendance at all times.

At the conclusion of your surgery or procedure, your anaesthesiologist will allow you to emerge from your anaesthesia and you will recover the with help of recovery room nurses who will also attend to your pain and/or discomfort.

We are affiliated with the University of Toronto and participate in the education of future anaesthesiologists enrolled in the University of Toronto anaesthesia residency program as well as in the training of family physicians who wish to acquire advanced skills in anaesthesia with an additional year of training. The department is also actively involved in the education of medical students, dentists with training in anaesthesia/sedation, and emergency room physicians.

We continue to strive to ensure your anaesthesia and pain are treated at the highest standards of care.