The monitors we use under general anesthesia depend on both the type of operation and the patient’s medical condition. The minimal monitors under general anesthesia include: blood pressure, EKG, heart rate ,temperature, stethoscope and two monitors of breathing. The pulse oximeter(placed on the fingertips) measures the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin (oxygen carrier) in your blood. This monitor has markedly improved the safety of anesthesia. The other monitor of breathing measures the carbon dioxide in your exhaled breath (capnometer). It helps us in adjustments of the respirator. For more complex procedures such as open heart surgery additional monitors of circulation such as continuous blood pressure and heart pressures. Your anesthesiologist will discuss placement of any invasive monitors with you prior to surgery.
