Benefits of Regional Anesthesia

Diana Cheng, M.D. — Ambulatory & Regional Anesthesia Specialist

How is Regional Anesthesia different from General Anesthesia?

In general anesthesia, you are unconscious and have no awareness or other sensations. In regional anesthesia, your anesthesiologist makes an injection near nerves to numb the area of your body that requires surgery and you often have a choice to receive general anesthesia or be sedated. You, your anesthesiologist and surgeon will determine if regional anesthesia is right for you.

What types of surgical procedures would be appropriate for Regional Anesthesia?

If there are no medical contraindications, anesthesiologists are able to perform regional anesthesia techniques for a wide variety of surgical procedures. Some examples include:

• Gastrointestinal (stomach);

• Hepatic (liver);

• Gynecology (female reproductive organ);

• Orthopedics (bone and joint);

• Thoracic surgery (chest);

• Urology (kidney, prostate, and bladder);

• Vascular surgery (blood vessels)

What are the benefits of a regional anesthesia?

 Faster awakening;

 Up to 3 days of pain relief with a peripheral nerve catheter placement

 8-24 hours of pain relief after a single injection;

 Better pain control than narcotics alone;

 Less need for narcotics and therefore less side effects from these medicines like nausea and constipation;

 You may go home earlier after surgery;

 Easier breathing resulting from better pain control;

 Easier or earlier participation in physical therapy post-surgery.

What are the risks of Regional Anesthesia?

Significant injuries can occur but are extremely rare. Such injuries include infection, injury to blood vessels, reaction to medications, temporary or permanent loss of sensation and/or weakness. If you have any concerns, you should talk to your anesthesiologist prior to your surgery.