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Anesthesia |
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Anesthesia is a procedure which results in total loss of sensation, but the term is frequently used to refer to any medications to relieve pain during surgeries. Some of these drugs are anesthetics in the sense that they do obliterate all feeling-either by numbing a specific region of the body or through complete loss of consciousness. Other medications as analgesics are used to decrease pain while leaving some degree of sensation. Anesthesia should be performed only by a licensed doctor anesthesiologist and anesthetist. A surgeon selects appropriate type of anesthesia depending on type of surgery, patient’s health, and age. Anesthesia exists in different types such as systematic analgesia, which involves drugs to relieve tension and anxiety throughout the body, decreasing the intensity of pain while allowing the individual to remain conscious. In systemic analgesia morphine - like drugs such as Demerole (meperidine) are injected into a vein or muscle during surgery. Local anesthesia is a procedure in which local anesthetics numb a confined region of the body such as eye or gums. A local anesthetic applied to the surface of the body to relieve a limited region is called a topical anesthetic. Many topical anesthetics such as throat lozenges, mouth washes, rectal suppositories, cold sore relievers are sold over counter. All other types of local anesthesia are Novocain-kinds medications are injected by a clinician. Local anesthesia is considered to be the safest type of pain relief and usually is performed for short surgeries, since its effects usually wear off after an hour or so. Regional Anesthesia is the procedure which blocks pain feeling in a specific part of the body. Sometimes it called conduction anesthesia because the anesthetic blocks the conduction of pain impulses in select nerves. It can be used along with some form of sedation along with an infusion of salt and sugar solutions to prevent dehydration. An individual remains conscious in regional anesthesia. Epidural Anesthesia is a type of regional anesthesia, which numbs the lower half of the body. It is called epidural because it involves an injection into a small space outside the spinal cord compartment, epidural space. This type of anesthesia is slightly uncomfortable. Spinal anesthesia is a procedure in which a spinal block numbs only the lower half of the body and the medication is injected directly in the spinal fluid. Within minutes the person becomes completely unable to move or feel from the waist down. Serious complications are rare in this type anesthesia. Such side effects as breathing difficulties, dizziness, seizures, headaches may occur. Nerve block anesthesia may be used almost everywhere, and most commonly used to anesthetize the arms. Before the anesthetic medication is administered, a small needle is inserted at some distance from the region being anesthetized. This usually produces a tingly feeling like a small electric shock. Once proper placement has been located, the anestheologist injects the anesthetic through the needle, which keeps the nerve from sending pain signals from that part of the body to the brain. Caudal Anesthesia is a procedure in which anesthetic is injected into the epidural space around the sacral canal at the base of the back and numbs a larger region of the body. Pudental Block anesthesia is one of safest types of obstetrical anesthesia in which a pudendal block numbs all feeling in the perineum-the region between the anus and vagina. It is usually used during childbirth. General anesthesia produces a complete loss of consciousness and is used in prolonged and extensive surgeries. They are given in forms of injection or inhalation. Side effects such as vomiting, nausea, muscle pain, soar throat may occur. In rare cases major complications
such as heart attacks, stroke, and respiratory arrest may happen.
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| Category |
Medical Procedures > A
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| Related Searches |
nurse anaesthesia, anaesthesia side effects, anaesthesia awareness |
| Date Submitted |
02-Oct-2005
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