News Updates
General anesthesia? Regional anesthesia? Nerve block!
Release date:
2021-08-11 15:27
Source:
Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Renji Anesthesia Science Popularization
Anesthesia:
When it comes to anesthesia, many people believe that only… General anesthesia and Semi-anesthesia These are the only two types of anesthesia. One involves a single injection and a deep breath, allowing the patient to sleep through the procedure; the other is a “suanpanzi” injection, which numbs the lower half of the body.
Of course, there is also a “mature yet youthful” approach to anesthesia. “Nerve block anesthesia.”
What exactly is a nerve block? How do anesthesiologists use it in clinical practice to administer anesthesia, and how does it produce its anesthetic effect?
Today, we’ll take you on a journey to explore the fascinating world of nerve blocks!
Nerve block anesthesia involves injecting a local anesthetic near the course of a nerve in the trunk or extremities, temporarily interrupting the nerve’s conduction and producing anesthesia in the area innervated by that nerve.
It is called “mature” because this technique has been used in clinical practice for a long time; however, earlier nerve blocks either relied on surface‑based anatomical landmarks—akin to “blind men feeling an elephant”—or employed stimulators to elicit corresponding muscle responses for localization, both of which increased the risks of incomplete blockade, nerve injury, and patient discomfort. As for being “young,” it is due to the introduction of imaging technologies, particularly ultrasound, which now enables precise, noninvasive nerve localization.
Since the seamless integration of nerve blocks and ultrasound, anesthesiologists have been as if endowed with a “third eye.” Visualized techniques have greatly expanded the clinical application of nerve blocks. From targeting small peripheral nerves to performing fascial blocks in the trunk, ultrasound-guided nerve blockade—a relatively “young” technology—is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool for anesthesiologists.
In fact, patients need not feel anxious during nerve block anesthesia. Let me explain how we perform the procedure.
First, we need to select an appropriate ultrasound probe, suitable anesthetic agents, and the correct drug concentrations, along with the puncture needle and aseptic kit. The patient’s only requirement is to assume the position dictated by the surgical site. Throughout the procedure, there may be mild discomfort, but there is no cause for concern—sedatives will take effect quietly, significantly reducing any unpleasant sensations during the nerve block.
Look, how clearly this nerve is visible! 
Nerve blocks not only provide effective intraoperative and postoperative analgesia, but when used in combination with general anesthesia, they can also reduce the dosage of general anesthetic agents. This significantly lowers the incidence of certain adverse effects associated with general anesthesia, such as postoperative nausea and vomiting and cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients, aligning with contemporary… Rapid recovery the medical philosophy of “.
Today, with the aid of ultrasound, nerve blocks can be used in nearly all surgical patients, including postoperative analgesia for procedures involving the extremities, the chest, and the abdomen.
Nerve blocks are simply a perfect match for surgical procedures in critically ill elderly patients with orthopedic fractures!
Clinically, surgery can be performed on critically ill orthopedic patients under combined nerve block and sedation‑anesthesia, because Nerve blocks offer advantages that general and regional anesthesia simply cannot match! Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks of the extremities can avoid the pulmonary complications associated with general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation, as well as the slow metabolism of muscle relaxants and the difficulties in extubation. More importantly, regional anesthesia of a single limb typically does not impose additional systemic stress on critically ill patients, and postoperative nausea, vomiting, or delirium are rare, thereby promoting rapid recovery. Neuraxial blockade combined with sedation can allow patients to wake up fully awake and have their surgery completed.