Consumer Information

Types Of Anesthesia

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it? Anesthesia (an-iss-thee-zuh) 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.

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 (end-o-tra-kee-ull) tube, or a laryngeal (luh-rin-g-ull) 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 (in-ter-ska-lene) 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 (kaw-dull) 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.

Care: Before the surgery or procedure, you may also get medicine in an IV to make you feel sleepy and more relaxed. If you are awake during the surgery or procedure, you may still feel pressure and pushing. Tell your caregiver if your have pain so you can be given more pain medicine.

Informed Consent: You have the right to understand your health condition in words that your know. You should be told what tests, treatments, or procedures may be done to treat your condition. Your caregiver should also tell you about the risks and benefits of each treatment. You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives caregivers permission to do certain tests, treatments, or procedures. If you are unable to give your consent, someone who has permission can sign this form for you. A consent form is a legal piece of paper that tells exactly what will be done to you. This consent also gives permission for anesthesia. Before giving your consent, make sure all your questions have been answered so that you understand what may happen.

Risks: There are risks with anesthesia and your caregivers will watch you closely to treat any problems. Some surgeries cannot be done at all if you choose not to have anesthesia. Call your caregiver if you are worried or have questions about your care.

You could have a bad reaction to the medicine.
You could feel sick to your stomach after surgery.
It may take awhile for the medicine to wear off.
You may have a sore throat after general anesthesia. Ask your caregiver about using throat lozenges or gargle with warm salt water. The sore throat is usually gone in 1 to 2 days.
You could have a seizure or heart attack.
Your temperature could go very high and you might die.
You could have long-lasting numbness, dolor, or loss of function of body parts after block types of anesthesia.
Do not make important decisions for 24 hours after having anesthesia because anesthesia medicine may make your thinking unclear.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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