Difference Between Local and Regional Anesthesia?
asked 5 months ago by Alice87
Latest answer by Mary Lee Peters, MD
Question viewed 88 times
Tags: anesthesia, local anesthesia
What is the difference between local anesthesia with sedation and regional anesthesia, a thoracic block?
3 answers to Difference Between Local and Regional Anesthesia?
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Difference Between local and Regional Anesthesia
Both local and regional anesthesia involve injection of medication that blocks trhe body's pain response temporarily. A regional block is directed at the trunk of a nerve (think of it like the trunk of a tree) and affects all the branches of the nerve that comes from that trunk. Local anesthesia is injected in the area and blocks only where injected, not father down the branches of the nerve. The patient is awake for these types of anesthesia unless some form of sedation is...
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Local vs regional anesthesia
Usually local refers to direct injection into an area that is being immediately treated by cutting into the tissue. A regional block uses anesthetic to directly anesthetize defined nerves that innervate a given area. Th is can be an axillary block to anesthetize the entire arm as opposed to a local block of say a portion of the wrist that requires surgery.
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Difference Between Local and Regional Anesthesia?
Relief of the pain which would otherwise accompany surgical procedures can be accomplished in many ways. As you pointed out, it is often described by the way sensation is impaired to allow the conduct of the operation. In a LOCAL anesthesia case, the surgeon would infiltrate the skin in the area of surgery with one of several agents (Lidocaine, Marcaine etc) medications which block nerve signals through that area making the operation painless. This is the least risky mode of anesthesia. In...
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