ABSTRACT
Regional anesthesia has a strong role in minimizing post-operative pain, decreasing narcotic use and PONV, and, therefore, speeding discharge times. However, as with any procedure, regional anesthesia has both benefits and risks. It is important to identify the complications and contraindications related to regional anesthesia, which patient populations are at highest risk, and how to mitigate those risks to the greatest extent possible. Overall, significant complications secondary to regional anesthesia remain low. While a variety of different regional anesthesia techniques exist, complications tend to fall within 4 broad categories: block failure, bleeding/hematoma, neurological injury, and local anesthetic toxicity.
Subject(s)
Anesthesia, Conduction , Humans , Anesthesia, Conduction/adverse effects , Anesthesia, Conduction/methods , Anesthetics, Local/adverse effects , Postoperative Complications/prevention & control , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Contraindications , Nerve Block/adverse effects , Nerve Block/methods , Hemorrhage/prevention & control , Contraindications, Procedure , Hematoma/etiology , Hematoma/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Over two-thirds of the world's population do not have access to safe surgical and anesthetic care. Barriers to care include a lack of specialty trained personnel and unavailability of essential operating room resources. Aid efforts with the greatest impact focus on forming partnerships between high- and low-income communities, with the goal of creating self-sustaining programs run by local communities. Together these partnerships can work to build local capacity and expand the trained workforce by educating local providers.
Subject(s)
Anesthesia , Anesthesiology , Anesthetics , Humans , Developing CountriesABSTRACT
Regional anesthesia has a strong role in minimizing post-operative pain, decreasing narcotic use and PONV, and, therefore, speeding discharge times. However, as with any procedure, regional anesthesia has both benefits and risks. It is important to identify the complications and contraindications related to regional anesthesia, which patient populations are at highest risk, and how to mitigate those risks to the greatest extent possible. Overall, significant complications secondary to regional anesthesia remain low. While a variety of different regional anesthesia techniques exist, complications tend to fall within 4 broad categories: block failure, bleeding/hematoma, neurological injury, and local anesthetic toxicity.
