As much as your surgeon has trained in their speciality, your anaesthetist has spent many years of medical training to make sure that you are safe during your procedure. They are constantly monitoring during surgery for changes in breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, depth of anaesthesia and unexpected events which although rare, may occur. It is this training and standards set by the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists that has made anaesthesia in Australia as safe if not safer than anywhere in the world.