Anesthesia traditionally means having sensation, including the feeling of pain, temporarily blocked.  This allows patients to undergo surgery or other procedures without the distress and pain they might otherwise experience.  The level of anesthesia ranges from minimal sedation and local anesthesia (usually an injection right at the site on the body where the procedure is going to be performed) to general anesthesia that may put the patient into a deep sleep.

The department of Anesthesiology at the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven covers all phases of general, regional and local anesthesia for all types of surgical and obstetrical cases. El departamento también participa en la evaluación y el tratamiento del dolor crónico.

Las reuniones de mortalidad y morbilidad del departamento se llevan a cabo mensualmente. The department also regularly sponsors a series of presentations by nationally known speakers.