Anesthesia

 Anesthesia

Anesthesia  is medicine to make you comfortable during surgery or a procedure. There are many types of anesthesia. The anesthesia medicine may be given in your IV, through a face mask, or through a tube in your nose or throat. It can also be given as a shot in your back or as a shot in the area where you will have surgery. The type of anesthesia you may have depends on the type of surgery or procedure you are having. You and your caregiver will decide which type of anesthesia is best for you. Following are some of the types of anesthesia.

Types Of Anesthesia

• General Anesthesia:
  
  
  
  
• This medicine is used to keep you completely asleep during surgery. General anesthesia can be used for most procedures or surgeries. The medicine may be given as a liquid in your IV. It may also be given as a gas through a face mask, endotracheal tube, or a laryngeal  mask airway.
  
  
• An endotracheal tube or "ET" tube is put into your mouth or nose and down your throat into your lungs. The ET tube helps protect your windpipe during surgery. The laryngeal mask airway is also known as LMA. This is a tube with a small mask on the end that fits into the back of your throat instead of down your windpipe. The small mask is filled with air. The ET tube and the LMA allow you to breathe in oxygen or anesthesia gas during surgery.

• Epidural Anesthesia: This is medicine used to numb you from about the nipple line to the waist and down. While lying on your side or sitting up, a catheter (tiny tube) is put into your back through a needle. The needle is then taken out but the catheter is left in place to give you more medicine if needed. You are awake during surgery but may be given medicine in your IV so that you are sleepy. Your lower body is numb and you may be able to move your legs but should not feel pain. Feeling returns to your legs when caregivers stop putting medicine in the catheter and when the medicine wears off. Epidural anesthesia is good for procedures below the waist. Epidural anesthesia can give longer lasting pain relief than spinal anesthesia.
  
  
• Interscalene Block: This medicine is given as a shot in your neck to numb your shoulder and arm. You are awake during surgery but may be given medicine in your IV so that you are sleepy. This kind of anesthesia may be given in addition to medicine to keep you completely asleep during surgery. You may still feel pressure or pushing during surgery but should not feel pain. Feeling returns when the medicine wears off.
  
  
• Intravenous (IV) Regional Anesthesia: This is medicine put into an IV in the injured arm or leg. A pressure cuff is put on your upper arm or leg. The pressure cuff is tightened after caregivers tightly wrap your arm or leg with a stretchy bandage. This cuff keeps the medicine in the arm or leg so you do not have pain. You are awake (but may be sleepy) during surgery. You may also be given medicine in your IV so that you are sleepy. This type of anesthesia may be called a Bier block if done on your arm. IV regional anesthesia can be used for many kinds of surgeries or procedures on your arm or leg.
  
  
• Local Anesthesia: This is medicine given before a procedure or surgery to dull the pain. It is usually given as a shot in several places in and around the surgery area. The shot helps to numb the nerves in that area. This medicine can sometimes be given as an ointment or spray. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to any numbing medicine, such as "novocaine" or "lidocaine." You are awake during the surgery or procedure. Local anesthesia is best used for tests, procedures, or surgeries where a lot of pain is not expected.
  
  
• Peripheral Nerve Block: This type of anesthesia is medicine put into your arm or leg through a shot. Your arm or leg will be numb for 4 to 18 hours depending on the type of medicine used. You are awake (but may be sleepy) during surgery. You may also be given medicine in your IV so that you are sleepy. This type of block is also called an axillary block if the anesthesia is given in your armpit. This anesthesia can be used for many types of surgery on the arms or legs.
  
  
• Saddle Block or Caudal  Anesthesia: This is medicine used to numb you below the waist. You may lie on your abdomen (belly) while your caregiver puts a shot of medicine in the lowest part of your spine. You may lie on your back with your legs up in leg holders (stirrups). You are awake during the surgery but may be given medicine in your IV so that your are sleepy. Saddle block or caudal anesthesia is used for procedures or surgeries of the rear end or legs.
  
  
• Spinal Anesthesia: This is medicine put into your back through a shot while lying on your side or sitting up. You are awake during surgery but may be given medicine in your IV so that you are sleepy. You are numb from about the nipple line to the waist and down. How high the numbness goes depends on where your surgery will be. You are not able to move your legs when the medicine starts to work. You can move your legs in 1 to 4 hours when the medicine wears off. Spinal anesthesia is best for surgeries below the waist.