Analgesia

Yes, inhaled analgesia does not affect the patient's consciousness.

The majority of patients are slightly disinhibited and relaxed by the effect of the medication, but all are able to interact with the team throughout the procedure.

Dr. Brousseau and her nurse will guide you through the inhalation process, ensuring that you are always able to converse with the medical team during the procedure.

The effect of the medication wears off quickly, allowing patients to return to their normal activities within the hour.

Dr. Brousseau offers the following minimally invasive procedures:

• tube insertion (regular or permanent)

• Tympanoplasty

• Septoplasty

• Horn reduction

• Soft palate surgery

• Endoscopic sinus surgery

• Skin cancer resection and reconstruction

• Ear lobule repairs

• Biopsy and resection of oral lesions

• Anesthetic, filling or aesthetic injections

Dr. Brousseau uses the following agents in minimally invasive surgery:

1. nitrous oxide for short procedures such as tubes and certain injections

2. methoxyflurane for longer procedures such as septoplasty, turbinate reduction, endoscopic sinus surgery, etc.

Nitrous oxide has a proven track record. It has been used for over 30 years in surgical and dental procedures.

Inhaled methoxyflurane has been used for over 40 years as a first-line analgesic for the treatment of trauma in remote areas, by first-aid teams, professional sports teams and more.

Analgesic agents are inhaled by the patient. The patient controls inhalation by holding the tube in his or her hand and taking a deep breath of the medication.

Nitrous oxide is a gas, while methoxyflurane is a vapor.

After the patient has started inhalations and is receiving analgesia, a local anaesthetic is applied.

Contraindications to nitrous oxide or methoxyflurane are rare.

All patients are assessed prior to the procedure and meet with a nurse to complete a pre-operative questionnaire.

In the event of contraindication to a product, an alternative is used.

Unlike general anesthesia or sedation, which can have cognitive effects lasting up to 10 days, one of the major advantages of this type of analgesia is that the effect on cognitive ability is short-lived. After a recovery period of 20 to 45 minutes, patients are able to drive their vehicles and return to their professional and personal activities, with no effect on their cognitive abilities.

This means no work stoppage, no interference with your activities and schedule.

One of the major risks of general anaesthesia is the high incidence of respiratory complications in patients with sleep apnea. Some types of surgery may even require admission to intensive care after anesthesia.

As the patient is not put to sleep by the inhaled analgesia, he or she breathes on his or her own and is not subject to the pulmonary complications associated with general anesthesia, even in the presence of sleep apnea.

In a nutshell: inhaled analgesia makes it possible to perform the procedure in patients with sleep apnea while completely avoiding the risks associated with general anesthesia.

In the vast majority of cases, our patients return to their professional and personal lives on the same day as the procedure - no time off work or sport.

Our nurse will give you specific recommendations for your surgery during the pre-operative and post-operative assessment.

All surgeries require a consultation first.

Most patients can be operated on within a week - unless further tests are required.