Anesthesia Options Surgery

Anesthesia is a way to control pain during a surgery or
procedure by using medicine called anesthetics. It can help
control breathing, blood pressure, blood flow, and heart rate
and rhythm.

There are several anesthesia options for patients undergoing
hand surgery. These include local anesthesia, regional
anesthesia, or general anesthesia. The type of anesthesia used
depends on the type and length of the surgery, the patient's
health and medical conditions, and preferences of the patient,
surgeon, and anesthesiologist.

The numbing medications used in regional anesthesia can
provide between one and 24 hours of pain relief, depending on
the medication used. Some local anesthetics may last as long
as three days.

With general anesthesia, the patient is unconscious and
does not feel anything during the surgery. The patient may
receive the medicine by breathing it in or through an intravenous
(IV) line.

Local anesthesia typically means anesthesia for a small area.
With this type of anesthesia, numbing medicine is injected at
the site of surgery. The patient is wide-awake during the surgery
and can fully cooperate with any instructions from the surgeon,
such as to move the hand or fingers. It contains medicine to
stop excessive bleeding and to minimize pain in the operated
area. Other medications to help you relax can also be given with
this type of anesthesia. The relaxing medications are typically
given through an IV line.

Regional anesthesia puts parts of your body to sleep by injecting
numbing medicine through a needle placed along the path of
nerves. This may be around the collarbone or neck, under the
arm, at the wrist, in the palm, around your finger, or through an
IV in your arm. As with local anesthesia, the anesthesiologist or
nurse anesthetist may add relaxing medication given through
an IV line.

The injection of numbing medicine with a needle can be slightly
uncomfortable or painful, but you will have IV medication to help
you relax and feel comfortable during the injection. Sometimes,
the anesthesiologist may use a needle connected to a nerve
stimulator to precisely locate the nerve. This causes the arm
or hand muscles to twitch and move, which is not painful,
although it can feel strange.