Anesthesia and postanesthetic considerations

The anesthesiologist is to be considered a consultant for the anesthetic and perioperative management of the podiatric patient. Each rheumatologic disease offers unique clinical features. The anesthesiologist focuses on the following: pharmacology of therapeutic drugs, control and management of the airway, interaction between the disease and anesthesia, and the available anesthetic regimens. This article addresses each of these subjects, and adds disease-specific information when applicable.