Surgery Preparation & Perioperative Care
Anesthesia

What Does an Anesthesiologist Do?

An anesthesiologist is a physician who evaluates patients, plans and provides anesthesia care, monitors vital functions during procedures, and manages aspects of recovery.

Perioperative Medicine Editorial TeamUpdated August 10, 2026

An anesthesiologist is a physician who evaluates patients, plans and provides anesthesia care, monitors vital functions during procedures, and manages aspects of recovery. This article is general education and cannot account for an individual patient, procedure, medication list, or surgical plan.

An anesthesiologist speaking reassuringly with a patient before a procedure.
An anesthesiologist speaking reassuringly with a patient before a procedure.

Key takeaways

  • Anesthesia plans are tailored to the procedure, patient health, and expected recovery needs.
  • Anesthesia professionals monitor and manage vital functions throughout the procedure and early recovery.
  • Tell the team about prior anesthesia problems, medicines, allergies, sleep apnea, and relevant medical conditions.
  • Recovery and activity restrictions differ by anesthesia type, so follow your specific discharge instructions.

Before the procedure

Before surgery, an anesthesiologist or another anesthesia professional reviews health history, medicines, allergies, prior anesthesia experiences, and the planned procedure. This information helps shape the anesthesia plan.

The anesthesia plan is selected for the procedure and the individual patient rather than by a single rule. Clinicians consider the surgical site, expected duration, health conditions, airway and breathing factors, pain-control needs, prior experiences, and patient preferences when those preferences are clinically appropriate. Understanding the plan before surgery can make the process less mysterious and gives you a chance to discuss concerns.

Choosing an anesthesia approach

Anesthesia may involve general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, local techniques, sedation, or combinations. The choice depends on the procedure and the patient’s medical condition, among other factors.

The anesthesia plan is selected for the procedure and the individual patient rather than by a single rule. Clinicians consider the surgical site, expected duration, health conditions, airway and breathing factors, pain-control needs, prior experiences, and patient preferences when those preferences are clinically appropriate. Understanding the plan before surgery can make the process less mysterious and gives you a chance to discuss concerns.

For additional context, see What Is General Anesthesia?, which explains the next related part of the perioperative pathway.

During surgery

The anesthesia professional continuously monitors the patient and manages anesthesia while watching breathing, oxygenation, circulation, and other important functions. They also respond to changes that occur during the procedure.

Anesthesia care continues throughout the procedure rather than ending once the anesthetic is started. The team watches vital functions and the patient’s response, adjusts medications and fluids, and responds to changes as they occur. The monitoring used depends on the operation and patient, but continuous attention to breathing, circulation, oxygenation, and other relevant measures is a core part of anesthesia care.

After surgery

Anesthesia care continues as the patient wakes and transitions to recovery. The team may address pain, nausea, airway concerns, and other immediate issues before handing off care to recovery staff.

Recovery from anesthesia is gradual. A person may be awake enough to answer a question but still be sleepy, slower to react, or unable to remember everything that was discussed. For that reason, discharge instructions often include restrictions on driving and important decisions after sedation or general anesthesia, as well as guidance about supervision, food and drink, pain medicine, and when to call for help.

What to discuss

Tell your anesthesia team about medicines and supplements, allergies, heart or lung conditions, sleep apnea, dental issues, pregnancy when relevant, substance use, and any previous anesthesia complications. Ask what anesthesia is planned and what recovery may be like.

Tell the anesthesia team about previous anesthesia problems, allergies, sleep apnea, heart or lung disease, medicines and supplements, alcohol or drug use, loose teeth or dental work, and any new illness. These details help the team tailor the plan. Questions about awareness, nausea, pain control, breathing devices, or previous difficult experiences are appropriate to raise before the procedure.

Use your own surgical instructions

Perioperative instructions vary by procedure, facility, anesthesia plan, and medical history. If this page differs from instructions given by your healthcare team, follow your healthcare team and contact them with questions.

Using this information before your procedure

Use this guide to prepare questions rather than to choose an anesthetic technique on your own. Before surgery, confirm what type of anesthesia is planned, whether sedation is expected, how pain will be managed, and what restrictions apply afterward. If you have had severe nausea, a difficult airway, an allergic reaction, unusual awareness, or another concerning anesthesia experience, describe what happened as clearly as you can.

It is also helpful to make sure the anesthesia team knows about sleep apnea and CPAP use, heart or lung disease, neurologic conditions, pregnancy when relevant, all medicines and supplements, and alcohol or other substance use. These details can change preparation, monitoring, or recovery planning. The most useful online information is the information that helps you have a more specific conversation with the clinicians who know your procedure and medical history.

Frequently asked questions

What does an anesthesiologist do before surgery?

An anesthesiologist reviews relevant health information, prior anesthesia experiences, medications, allergies, and the planned procedure. This helps the anesthesia team develop a plan and anticipate monitoring, airway, pain-control, and recovery needs.

Does the anesthesiologist stay during surgery?

Anesthesia care includes continuous monitoring throughout the procedure. The exact care-team model can vary by hospital and country, but anesthesia professionals are responsible for managing anesthesia and monitoring vital functions throughout the operation.

Does an anesthesiologist help after surgery?

Yes. Anesthesia care extends into recovery, including monitoring as anesthesia wears off and helping address issues such as pain, nausea, breathing concerns, or other anesthesia-related recovery needs.

References and further reading

  1. American Society of Anesthesiologists: Role of the Anesthesiologist
  2. American Society of Anesthesiologists: Types of Anesthesia
  3. American Society of Anesthesiologists: Anesthesia Recovery

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