If the surgery is for cancer, you are likely to need heavy sedation as well because such procedures can be extensive. Spinal or epidural anesthesia can be ideal for these surgeries. These options are often preferred by the generally younger, fitter patients who frequently require this surgery. ACL RECONSTRUCTIONĪnterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is similar to joint replacement and can now be done with various regional anesthesia techniques. For hip or knee replacement, a spinal or an epidural may be used instead. Nerve blocks, which work very well for individual body parts such as legs and arms, can be ideal for joint replacement. Here are several common ones… JOINT REPLACEMENT So do nearly all abdominal and brain operations.īut a growing list of surgeries can now be performed without general anesthesia if you and your doctors agree. Example: In nearly all cases, open-heart and other chest surgeries require general anesthesia. So can you just say, “No thanks, doctor”? Not always. Since the regional anesthetics will not affect the central nervous system-meaning you’ll stay awake-you’ll be offered a sedative drug to relax you and ease anxiety. It takes longer to work, but a tube can be left in place to give you pain relief after the operation. Anesthetic medicine is injected outside the spinal fluid sac. Anesthetic medicine is injected into spinal fluid inside the lower back, quickly numbing the lower half of the body. Anesthesiologists use ultrasound to guide the needle to exactly where it will reach the right nerves. A local anesthetic medication is injected near nerves that affect specific body parts. The primary forms of regional anesthesia are… Plus, studies show that many patients feel less anxiety if they can remain at least partially awake during surgery. An unlucky few suffer breathing problems that can lead to infections, even pneumonia. But many patients wake up with side effects, such as nausea, vomiting and sore throats (from the breathing tubes). Fewer than one in 100,000 US surgical patients die from general anesthesia. Let’s be clear-overall, general anesthesia is safe and getting safer. So you wake up in less pain and need less acute pain relief. Here’s why: Regional anesthesia blocks painful stimuli completely. There may be less post-operative pain as well, which can reduce the need for opioids during recovery.
Why it’s a good thing: Recovery time is generally faster, with fewer side effects, so you get to go home sooner. Why it’s happening: “Regional -anesthesia,” such as nerve blocks and epidurals, are now more accurate, effective and safe. Instead of general anesthesia, which makes you unaware and immobile during surgery, you stay awake. It’s becoming more common-even for fairly complex operations.