I'm sure Jiff can give you the proper answer.........but I'm sure what your talking about is the breathing tube......put in after you go to sleep......taken out (in most cases) before you wake up.
Remember I was on a ventilator for 33 days.........it was taken out and put in 3 times during the 33 days.......trying to wean me off it. I was never awake when it was put in, but I was awake while it was in. It didn't bother me at all. The only thing I remember is touching it and my husband "freaking out" It seems a lady in ICU (while I was there) removed her vent, caused serious problems. I wasn't gonna take it out, I was just touching it
LOL !!!!! RUTH.. i almost didn''t read this because i was afraid it had something to do with those snails!!!
the breathing tube: some people get them, others don't. if you have sleep apnea or compromised respiratory function, you get a tube. if you don't have these issues, you generally don't need a tube.
the anesthesia has the added "benefit" of slowing down your breathing. if you either don't breathe when you're asleep [apnea!!!!] or have trouble breathing, you WILL run into trouble under anesthesia. the breathing tube is hooked up to oxygen and a ventilator [not generally a respirator. a ventilator helps you breathe, gives you and extra push when you need it; a respirator breathes for you].
so, with this, you keep breathing while you're under anesthesia.
and yes, yours truly had a tube. and came out of the anesthesia fighting and they had to restrain me. such a lady!!!!!
When I had my surgery, I had a NG tube...it took care of the
acid in the stomach..they didn't want it to touch the newly stapled
area...
BUT they laid me open from one side of my stomach to the other in an upside down smiley incision...