Organization - Anaesthesia Department Service

The Department of Anesthesiology is part of the Surgical Area and is structured into seven sections that align with the hospital’s organizational framework for clinical care.

• Pain Clinic: Multidisciplinary unit formed by anaesthesiologists and other specialists trained and specialized in the treatment of complex pain. It treats patients with complex chronic pain due to cancer, neuropathic pain, and pain following back surgery who are referred by general practitioners or specialists from primary care centres (Barcelona Esquerra Integrated Health Area, AISBE) or from the hospital itself.  It is also a reference centre for conditions such as transplants and rare diseases. Together with the specialized nursing team, it provides post-operative care in the hospital wards. 
• Anaesthesia Critical Care Section. The anaesthesia critical care section provides continuous medical care (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to different areas, including 13 intensive care beds (ICU) and 8 intermediate care beds. These units provide care for critically ill patients of any aetiology, although they specialize in surgical, trauma and neurocritical patients. The unit is also responsible for post-operative care in the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit (PACU).  The section is responsible for the rapid response team in the surgical wards and for assisting with in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest and caring for critical surgical emergency patients. Another of the care activities in which it participates is the inter-hospital transfer of critical patients within the Medical Emergency Service (SEM). 
• Digestive Diseases Anaesthesia Section:  This section’s activity is focused on the perioperative management of patients at the Clínic Institute of Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (ICMDM). From a healthcare perspective, the section provides coverage for the General and Digestive Surgery, Gastroenterology and Hepatology departments. It also performs anaesthetic procedures for the Liver Transplant and Transplant Coordination Unit, participating in donation procedures both inside and outside the hospital. It carries out its activity in pre-anaesthetic visits and pre-rehabilitation, assessing and optimizing patients; in conventional and outpatient major surgery operating theatres, and in interventional areas outside the operating theatre, such as digestive endoscopy and hepatic haemodynamics.
• Anaesthesia Section for Medical-Surgical Specialities: This section handles all scheduled activity for the Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Plastic Surgery, Maxillofacial Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology departments, which belong to the Clínic Institute of Medical and Surgical Specialties (ICEMEQ). The anaesthesiologists who form part of the section are specially trained in local and regional anaesthesia techniques and in managing difficult airways, as well as in blood conservation and haemostasis techniques.
• Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Urology Anaesthesia Section:  This section is responsible for all surgical activity generated by the Clínic Institute of Urology and Nephrology (ICNU) and the Clínic Institute of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology (ICGON). It is also responsible for kidney, pancreas and uterus transplants. In addition, it provides care for obstetric patients during labour and care for interventional procedures outside the surgical area, such as assisted reproduction procedures and urological and gynaecological procedures.
• Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anaesthesia Section: This section provides assistance for all surgical and interventional procedures outside the operating theatre at the Clínic Cardiovascular Institute (ICCV), including cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, haemodynamics and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Unit. . It also provides assistance for all surgical and interventional procedures outside the operating theatre at the Clínic Respiratory Institute (ICR), which includes thoracic surgery and the Respiratory Endoscopy Unit. . In addition, it participates in post-operative care in the Cardiac Surgery Intensive and Intermediate Care Unit.
   

Anesthesiology Section of the ICMDM

This section focuses its activity on the perioperative management of patients from the Clínic Institute of Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (ICMDM). From a clinical perspective, the section provides coverage to the Departments of General and Digestive Surgery, Gastroenterology, and Hepatology. In addition, it carries out anesthetic procedures for the Liver Transplant and Transplant Coordination Unit, participating in donation procedures both inside and outside the hospital.

Its activities include pre-anesthetic assessment and prehabilitation, evaluating and optimizing patients; anesthetic management in operating rooms for both major inpatient and outpatient surgery; and anesthetic procedures in interventional areas outside the operating room, such as digestive endoscopy and hepatic hemodynamics.

Anesthesiology Section of the ICEMEQ

This section covers all scheduled activities of the Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Plastic Surgery, Maxillofacial Surgery, and Otorhinolaryngology, which belong to the Clínic Institute of Medical and Surgical Specialties (ICEMEQ).

The anesthesiologists in this section are particularly dedicated to regional anesthesia techniques and the management of difficult airways, as well as blood conservation and hemostasis techniques.

Anesthesiology Section of the ICGON and ICNU

This section is responsible for all surgical activity generated by the Clínic Institute of Urology and Nephrology (ICNU) and the Clínic Institute of Gynecology, Obstetrics, and Neonatology (ICGON). It is also in charge of kidney, pancreas, and uterus transplant activity.

In addition, it provides care for obstetric patients during labor, as well as support for interventional procedures outside the operating room, such as assisted reproduction procedures and urological and gynecological interventions.

Cardiovascular (ICCV) and Thoracic (ICR) Anesthesiology Section

This section provides care for all surgical and out-of-operating-room interventional activity of the Clínic Cardiovascular Institute (ICCV), which includes Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Hemodynamics, and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Unit. It also supports all surgical and out-of-operating-room interventional activity of the Clínic Respiratory Institute (ICR), which includes Thoracic Surgery and the Respiratory Endoscopy Unit.

In addition, it participates in postoperative care in the Intensive and Intermediate Care Unit for Cardiac Surgery.

Neuroanaesthesia Section

This section provides care for all surgical and interventional procedures outside the operating theatre at the Clínic Institute of Neurosciences (ICN). It also covers surgical procedures at the Clínic Ophthalmological Institute (ICOF).  It also provides assistance for scheduled and emergency procedures requiring sedation and/or anaesthesia for diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures in areas outside the operating theatre at the Clínic Diagnostic Imaging Centre (CDIC).