Neuroanesthesia and anesthesiology

Blog Post by George A. Mashour MD, PhD, Director, Division of Neuroanesthesiology and Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Neurosurgery,  University of Michigan

Neuroanesthesia is a subspecialty of anesthesiology that focuses on the perioperative care of patients undergoing surgery of the brain, spine or peripheral nerves. Because the drugs routinely used for anesthesia have their therapeutic action at all of these sites, anesthesiologists and neurosurgeons must “share” the nervous system during the course of an operation. This becomes particularly important at the end of surgery, when the assessment of neurologic function is a major priority. If, for example, a patient has suffered a stroke or has brain swelling, it needs to be recognized and acted upon rapidly before permanent damage occurs.