If you are due to have surgery, you should ask your anaesthetist about pain control on the day of your operation.

The clinic performs operations under both regional and general anaesthesia (GA). When a regional anaesthetic is used, the patient is awake (although may be sedated) throughout the operation, but the surgical “field” (eg part of the foot) is numbed. With a GA, the patient is unconscious throughout. Many operations are not possible without a GA, and your surgeon will also be to discuss this with you.

The clinic also uses the latest pain control techniques, including regional anaesthetic nerve blocks like the “ankle block” or “popliteal” nerve block, which can supplement your GA. With these blocks, it is possible to have a completely painless operation, and to only require mild analgesics like Paracetamol after quite major surgery. Although the success rate of these blocks is high in the hands of our skilled anaesthetists, it is not failsafe.

During your stay in hospital you will be given anything required to ensure you are comfortable throughout, and will be discharged back home with advice about pain control, and tablets if required.