My Spine - Lumbar
When it is your turn, you will be taken from the waiting area to the operating
theatre. In theatre you will be helped onto the theatre table. An anaesthetic
nurse will connect an oximeter, by means of a soft rubber hood that is placed
on your finger, which measures the oxygen concentration in your blood.
The nurse will also connect a blood pressure cuff to monitor your blood pres-
sure and place ECG (electrocardiogram) stickers on your chest that will mon-
itor your heartbeat throughout the procedure. The anaesthetist will place a
drip needle into one of your veins and start an infusion (drip). A breathing
mask will be held over your mouth and nose with an odd smelling gas to be
inhaled. This is the anaesthetic gas that will anaesthetise you. You will
remember very little about this part of the procedure.
A breathing tube will be inserted into your windpipe (trachea) through your
mouth if you are going to have a full anaesthetic and a ventilator will control
your breathing for the duration of the procedure. Once you are anaesthetised,
care will be taken to protect your eyes and any part of your body that may
experience direct pressure for a prolonged period.
The skin surrounding the area where the incision is going to be performed
will be prepared with an anti-bacterial solution. The specialist and scrub sis-
ter will do the same by washing and scrubbing their hands with anti-bacteri-
al solutions and scrubbing brushes. They will then don theatre gowns and face
masks. The operation site and the rest of your body will be carefully draped
with special sheets to cover the areas that have not been cleaned. Your oper-
ation will be performed under the strictest sterile conditions possible.
At the end of the operation a drain may be placed in the wound to drain away
any excess blood and body fluid to ensure that the wound heals properly and
the skin edges are closed with sutures, metal surgical clips or even surgical
glue.
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