Types of Anesthesia

Anesthesia provides freedom from pain and is a very important part of your operation. Anesthesia not only relieves pain, but can also make the operation safer for you. There are several types of anesthesia.

General Anesthesia is the most common type of anesthesia for surgery. You will be in a sleep state during the surgery. You will have no pain. You will remember little about the surgery or recovery period. There are several methods of giving general anesthesia. Many anesthetic drugs are now available, and they help make your anesthesia safer than ever before. The selection of which drugs are used depends on your physical condition and the type of surgery you are having. Usually general anesthesia is administered by injecting medicines into a vein, or having you breathe a gas from the anesthesia machine.

Regional Anesthesia is used to numb only a specific part of the body. A local anesthetic (numbing medicine) is injected into the area, where it blocks pain sensations. There are many types of regional anesthesia. The most common are: spinal, epidural, and Bier blocks.

Monitored Anesthesia means your surgeon will use a local anesthetic (numbing medicine) in the area of your surgery. We provide continuous monitoring to assure your safety, and may give you medicines to help you rest comfortably while your surgeon works.

Regardless of which type of anesthesia you receive, all anesthesia given by the UCLA Department of Anesthesiology is administered by or under the medical direction of our Anesthesiologists. (An Anesthesiologist is a medical doctor specially trained in the administration of anesthetics.)

Insurance Information

The personnel providing your anesthesia are associated with the UCLA Department of Anesthesiology. You will receive a bill from UCLA Department of Anesthesiology for the services of these Anesthesiology specialists. This fee is based on several considerations such as the type of surgical procedure, the time required for your care, your health condition, and your age. This total charge includes preoperative evaluation, administration of your anesthesia, and management of your recovery room stay.

Your hospital bill will contain an item listed as "ANESTHESIA EQUIP. AND SUPPLIES". This represents charges for the hospital equipment and drugs used during your anesthesia. This is separate from the Anesthesiologist's fee.

Most health insurance plans will pay some or all of our fees. The UCLA Department of Anesthesiology are not necessarily contracted with the same insurance carriers as the Medical Center or hospital. Please note, we will file your insurance claims for you to assist you in any way possible, but we are not responsible for collecting from your insurance company. Payment is ultimately your responsibility.

If you have questions about our fees for professional services, please don't hesitate to call our Patient Service at (310) 267-8694. We welcome the opportunity to assist you.