When preparing for surgery many people do research, making sure they found a truly great surgeon. Most people forget about the other doctor (or a nurse!) in the room-the anesthesia provider. Anesthesia is critical to a great surgical outcome. Without a top-notch anesthesiologist or CRNA, a routine surgery can become an experience the patient would like to forget.

To avoid problems, make sure you have a "pre-anesthesia conference", a conversation with the anesthesia provider where you discuss the type of anesthesia you will receive, your medical history and any other pertinent information.

Learn about the Risks of Anesthesia, which are not the same as the general Risks of Surgery, before you decide to have surgery.

If you are having trouble finding answers to your surgery questions, there are resources available for you here on About.com!

Your surgeon is your best bet for information about the surgery you are considering, but remember there are many other places to look for answers. You can do a search here on About.com for the topic you are interested in, or look around right here on the Surgery pages.

Still can't find what you are looking for? Check out the Surgery Forum, where patients can discuss their experiences with surgery, ask questions and find answers. Start a discussion about your surgery and any questions you may have, or jump into a discussion in progress.

Another alternative is to email me, the surgery guide, and ask your question. I can't promise to answer all of your questions individually, but I may discuss the topic in an article or blog post like this one.

Find answers and quit wondering about your surgery with some help from your friends here at About.com.