What is Regional Anesthesia

Regional anesthesia is a type of medicine that temporarily blocks feeling in one area of your body. You may have regional anesthesia before a medical procedure or surgery.

A health care provider who specializes in giving anesthesia (anesthesiologist) injects the medicine near a nerve or a group of nerves. This makes that area of the body numb.

Regional anesthesia can be used alone or in combination with other types of anesthesia. Regional anesthesia has many benefits compared to using general anesthesia on its own, such as:

• Improved pain control after your surgery.
• Less nausea, vomiting, or drowsiness after surgery. This is because less medicine is needed to control pain.
• A faster recovery.

There are three types of regional anesthesia:

• Spinal anesthesia. This is a one-time injection of medicine into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord. This numbs the area below and slightly above the injection site.
• Epidural anesthesia. This is another medicine that may be placed into your back, but just outside of the protective tissue that covers your spinal cord. Instead of a one-time injection, the medicine is often given gradually over time through a small tube (catheter) that remains in your back for as long as pain control is needed.
• Peripheral nerve block. This is an injection that is given in an area of the body other than the spine to block all sensation below the injection site. Examples include:
  • Peripheral block in the shoulder, which numbs the arm and hand.
  • Peripheral block at the base of a finger, which numbs the whole finger.

Spinal and peripheral nerve blocks may be given as a single injection before your procedure, or you may also have a continuous infusion for as long as you need it.

Tell a health care provider about:

• Any allergies you have.
• All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
• Any use of illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
• Any problems you or family members have had with anesthetic medicines.
• Any blood disorders you have.
• Any surgeries you have had.
• Any medical conditions you have or have had, especially heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or sleep apnea.
• Whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant.

What are the risks?

Generally, this is a safe procedure. However, problems may occur, including:

• Pain.
• Nausea.
• Itching.
• Low blood pressure.
• Headache.
• Nerve damage.
• Infection.
• Bleeding around the injection site.
• Trouble urinating.
• Allergic reactions to medicine.

What happens before the procedure?

• Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions. You may be asked to stop eating food and stop drinking unclear liquids at least 8 hours before your procedure. Sometimes, clear liquids are allowed until 2–4 hours before surgery to keep you hydrated. Clear liquids include water, clear fruit juice, black coffee, and plain tea.
• Ask your health care provider about changing or stopping your regular medicines. This is especially important if you are taking diabetes medicines or blood thinners.
• Plan to have someone take you home after the procedure.
• If you will be going home right after the procedure, plan to have someone with you for 24 hours.
• You may need to have blood or imaging tests.

What happens during the procedure?

• To reduce your risk of infection:
  • Your health care team will wash or sanitize their hands.
  • Your skin will be washed with soap.
• Depending on the medical procedure you are having done, an IV tube will be inserted into one of your veins.
• The anesthesiologist will do a physical exam to find the best location to give the regional anesthesia. A device (nerve stimulator) or imaging tool (ultrasound) may be used to help locate the nerve. This helps prevent nerve damage.
• You may be given a medicine to help you relax (sedative).
• You will get regional anesthesia by injection or through a continuous infusion.
• The anesthesiologist will check to make sure the medicine is working before the rest of your medical procedure begins.
• Depending on the type of regional anesthesia you received, you may have a small bandage (dressing) placed over the injection site.

The procedure may vary among health care providers and hospitals.

What happens after the procedure?

• Your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood oxygen level will be monitored often until the medicines you were given have worn off.
• Do not drive for 24 hours if you received a sedative.

Regional Anesthesia, Care After

Refer to this sheet in the next few weeks. These instructions provide you with information about caring for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. Your treatment has been planned according to current medical practices, but problems sometimes occur. Call your health care provider if you have any problems or questions after your procedure.

What can I expect after the procedure?

After the procedure, it is common to have:

• Sleepiness.
• Nausea.
• Itching.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Do not drive, exercise, or do any other activities that require coordination for 24 hours or as told by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider when you can return to your usual activities.
• Drink enough water to keep your urine clear or pale yellow.
• If you had a bandage (dressing) placed over the injection site, only remove it when told to do so by your health care provider.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You continue to have nausea and vomiting for more than one day.
• You develop a rash.
• You have trouble urinating

Get help right away if:

• You have bleeding from the injection site or bleeding under the skin at the injection site.
• You have redness, swelling, or pain around your injection site.
• You have a fever.
• You develop a headache.
• You develop new numbness or weakness.