The specialised field of anaesthesiology has come a long way over the centuries, developing both in methodology and technology. If, in the past, knocking out patients with a head-blow or compressing their carotid arteries until they passed out were measures used as a pain management technique prior to a procedure, the application of anaesthetics in medicine today has been elevated to heighten safety and efficacy. PMC’s resident anaesthesiologist, Dr. Sakinah Mohd Akhir, discusses this aspect.

Dr. Sakinah Mohd Akhir is a Resident Consultant Anaesthesiologist and critical care specialist at PMC

ANAESTHESIOLOGY AND TARGETED CARE

Anaesthesiology is a unique branch of medicine focused on the provision of sedation anaesthesia and pain relief (analgesia) during the pre-operative, perioperative, and post-operative period. A variety of surgical and other medical procedures make this particular field of expertise an important speciality in healthcare. Pain management and critical care are key extensions of this practice in ensuring the safe and effective administration of anaesthesia for those seeking treatment and related supports for their conditions. A comprehensive look into this area sheds light on the different types of anaesthesia methods in use.

Specialised Expertise of Anaesthesiologists

Anaesthesiologists are trained in applying various techniques of sedation, anaesthesia and analgesia at different times. Standout measures span local, regional, and general anaesthesia. In instances where general anaesthesia is required, patients are put under so they are unconscious throughout the entire duration of a particular medical procedure. This helps a person remain unaware—and more importantly, pain-free to ease the process. An intricate role, anaesthesiologists are doctors skilled in airway management. Spanning intubation and ventilation, an important function is ensuring a patient is breathing normally and effectively throughout surgery.

“When it comes to this category of care, an anaesthesiologist plays a vital role on the medical team responsible for the intervention a patient gets during a scheduled procedure. Before (pre- operative), during (perioperative), and after (post-operative), a thorough patient evaluation is performed across disciplines, including consultations with the surgical team, to meticulously determine the right and safe course of anaesthesia pain management action to pursue,” explained Dr. Sakinah Mohd Akhir, a resident consultant anaesthesiologist and critical care specialist at Putra Medical Centre, Kedah. The hospital has a solid department dedicated to anaesthesiology, with a great faculty of specialists on deck to help patrons.

Pain management and critical care are key extensions in ensuring the safety and comfort of patients

Patient History and Careful Monitoring

Furthermore, where the administration of critical care is concerned, anaesthesiologists are experts in delivering intensive care medicine and emergency interventions, offering vital patient support with either a severe illness or injury. This classification of healthcare practitioners covers the monitoring of one’s vital signs and adjustment of anaesthesia levels in surgeries and other procedures. While the majority of past anaesthetic techniques involved the use of a mixture of herbs and alcohol, remedies have since been vastly improved upon, with a clear focus on such areas as pharmacokinetics (the effects of the body on a drug) as well as pharmacodynamics (the effects of a drug on the body).

In addition to pharmacology, anaesthesiologists are well-versed in mechanical ventilation, various monitors of physiological functioning, neuroanatomy, alongside other core areas of medicine. In certain circles, anaesthesiologists are instead referred to as anaesthetists, and the term ‘anaesthesia’ is the equivalent of ‘anaesthetics,’ which describes pain management medical strategies. “Similar to your primary care doctor, a physician anaesthesiologist manages all aspects of your medical care (blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, allergies, and heart), while administering an anaesthetic that makes you or part of your body unaware of pain from the procedure being done,” Dr. Sakinah shares.

“In fact, where an epidural (localised or regional pain management) may be required during childbirth, a mother in labour is first examined and her vitals monitored before a shot is given to her to ease the extreme pain felt at the delivery stage. This is one example of a medical procedure which calls for the expertise of an anaesthesiologist, and is true for vaginal and caesarean-section births.”

Before (pre-operative), during (perioperative), and after (post-operative), vital signs are monitored

Tapping The Benefits of Anaesthetic Measures

Common examples of surgeries requiring general anaesthesia (made unconscious) include invasive or minimally invasive procedures involving the head, back, heart, lungs, and abdomen—to name a few. Whereas regional anaesthesia (the numbing of a large area of the body) with an epidural, spinal, or anaesthetic block (arm or leg) may be used during a hip, knee, hand, or foot surgery. Meanwhile, intravenous sedation (medication to make one feel relaxed, with varying levels of consciousness), which may or may not require localised numbing, is usually the go-to option for a wide range of procedures like a bronchoscopy, colonoscopy, cystoscopy, upper endoscopy, dental surgery minor skin surgery, plastic (cosmetic) or reconstructive surgery, and even a minor bone fracture repair.

Interestingly, there are several subspecialties of anaesthesiology. Among them are pain management and other areas like cardiac, paediatric, neuro, orthopaedic, and obstetric anaesthesia, and key pillars that include hospice and palliative care (for geriatric patients) and sports medicine (injuries and such). Putra Medical Centre Alor Setar has made it the hospital’s ethos to render the gift of quality healthcare accessible to every layer of society, and therefore, patrons are assured a meaningful journey of care. For more information on PMC’s plans and packages, visit our portal here—or call us.

ABOUT DR. SAKINAH MOHD AKHIR

Specialised in critical care services, Dr. Sakinah Mohd Akhir is a resident consultant anaesthesiologist under Putra Medical Centre. She completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at International Islamic University Malaysia. She pursued her Master of Anaesthesiology at Universiti Sains Malaysia. She then went on to do her postgraduate clinical training at Tuanku Fauziah Hospital and Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital. She is a member of the Malaysian Medical Association and Malaysian Society of Anaesthesiologists. Dr. Sakinah joined Putra Medical Centre in Kedah in 2024.

Disclaimer: This content is for general educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek advice from a qualified healthcare provider for personal concerns. If you experience urgent symptoms, seek immediate medical attention or call 999.