The anesthesia consultant — The Anesthesia Consultant is written by Richard Novak, MD, an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University.
Anesthesia Questions from Patients
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AI IN MEDICINE –IT’S IN YOUR POCKET
The future of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine is in your pocket, not in the Electronic Medical…
THE PITT: 10 MEDICAL DETAILS THE SHOW GETS WRONG, AND 10 DETAILS THEY GET RIGHT
THE PITT serves up hour after hour of hectic emergency room cases, in addition to the…
PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE IN THE USA AND SWITZERLAND
In the past year a friend of an acquaintance of mine travelled from California to Switzerland…
THE ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE IS YOUR FRIEND
Numerous cases included mistakes regarding endotracheal intubation in emergent situations—specifically delayed endotracheal intubation, an erroneous choice…
Must Read
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ANESTHESIOLOGY AND MALPRACTICE LAW
Despite the likelihood of malpractice lawsuits, many anesthesiologists have minimal knowledge of malpractice law, how best to prevent…
99% BOREDOM
In this month’s issue of our specialty’s premier journal, Anesthesiology, Dr. Tjorvi Perry authored an article titled, “Standing…
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Guides for Patients
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MISMANAGEMENT OF INTRAOPERATIVE BRADYCARDIA
Intraoperative bradycardia (heart rate less than 60 beats per minute) is a common but sometimes dire…
THE 10 BEST MEDICAL MOVIES OF ALL TIME
Stories about medicine provide insights into the human condition. The 10 best medical movies of all…
SMARTWATCH HEALTH DATA. HOW USEFUL IS IT?
Anesthesiologists watch vital sign monitors continuously in the operating room every day, and have more experience…
THE PITT DISSES THE ANESTHESIA PROFESSION
In Episode 12 of Season 1, The Pitt’s writers do a major disservice to the anesthesia…
Novels by Dr. Novak
When he is not in the operating room, Rick Novak writes fiction about medicine.
2014
The Doctor and Mr. Dylan
Dr. Novak’s debut novel: a legal mystery that blends anesthesiology and the legacy of Nobel laureate Bob Dylan, built around an anesthesia…
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2019
Doctor Vita
A science fiction saga of man versus machine, set at the University of Silicon Valley Medical Center, where the only doctor you…
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2022
Call From the Jailhouse
Litigator Cicely Vella’s ex-husband is arrested for a double murder — and asks her to defend him. Cicely rarely loses a case,…
Buy on AmazonMore Columns
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CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP IN THE OPERATING ROOM
Who is the Captain of the Ship in the operating room, the surgeon or the anesthesiologist?…
THE PAIN PILL OF THE FUTURE?
On January 30, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new pain pill named…
SUBLINGUAL ANESTHESIA
I was providing a general anesthetic to a patient for bilateral blepharoplasties (eyelid lifts) in a…
TEN COMMANDMENTS OF ANESTHESIA
The Ten Commandments in the Old Testament of the Bible described a path toward a proper…
IS SUSPENDED ANIMATION POSSIBLE?
Anesthesiologists are specialists in administering drug-induced comas in operating rooms for hours at a time, or…
HOW RISKY IS YOUR ANESTHESIA PRACTICE?
Anesthesiologists can earn more money administering propofol to healthy patients for colonoscopies from 9 a.m. until…
ANESTHESIA IN 2025: WHAT’S CHANGED IN 25 YEARS?
During the quarter-century 2000-2025 the world transformed in remarkable ways. Surely the field of anesthesia has…
FEMALES RECOVER FROM ANESTHESIA FASTER THAN MALES
There are sex differences in anesthetic sensitivity. Females recover from anesthesia faster than males. Two recent…
The Anesthesia Consultant, written by Richard Novak MD, an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University, is an anesthesia educational website for both laypeople and medical specialists.
A note from Dr. Novak:
I want to thank my readers, as theanesthesiaconsult.com reached the landmark of 3 million all-time views as of June 2024. The Anesthesia Consultant reaches readers in over 100 countries around the world.
The Anesthesia Consultant is a unique source of information. I’m a private practice anesthesiologist who has worked at Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto, California during five decades: the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010, and 2020s. I’m a hybrid who is both a community and an academic physician. There are over 300 columns and opinion-editorials on The Anesthesia Consultant, written from the viewpoint of a physician anesthesiologist who practices the specialty daily.
The success of theanesthesiaconsultant.com would not be possible without my readers, and I thank you all. I’ll keep writing, and I invite you to keep reading.
The Top Posts and the titles of more than 300 Active Posts are each listed in sidebar on this home page. Type your keyword into the SEARCH box to research a specific topic.
The most popular posts for laypeople include:
How Long Will It Take To Wake Up From General Anesthesia?
Why Did Take Me So Long To Wake From General Anesthesia?
Will I Have a Breathing Tube During Anesthesia?
What Are the Common Anesthesia Medications?
How Safe is Anesthesia in the 21st Century?
Will I Be Nauseated After General Anesthesia?
What Are the Anesthesia Risks For Children?
The most popular posts for anesthesia professionals include:
10 Trends for the Future of Anesthesia
Should You Cancel Anesthesia for a Potassium Level of 3.6?
12 Important Things to Know as You Near the End of Your Anesthesia Training
Should You Cancel Surgery For a Blood Pressure = 170/99?
Advice For Passing the Anesthesia Oral Board Exams
What Personal Characteristics are Necessary to Become a Successful Anesthesiologist?
LEARN MORE ABOUT RICK NOVAK’S FICTION WRITING AT RICK NOVAK.COM BY CLICKING ON THE PICTURE BELOW:
The anesthesiaconsultant.com, copyright 2010, Palo Alto, California
For questions, contact: rjnov@yahoo.com