Spinal Anaesthesia

Spinal anesthesia, also known as subarachnoid or epidural anesthesia, is a method of pain relief used in surgery and obstetrics. It is performed by injecting a local anesthetic into the space surrounding the spinal cord. The difference between subarachnoid and epidural anesthesia lies in the site of injection of the anesthetic and the technique of its administration.

During epidural anesthesia, a local anesthetic is used to fill the space between the dura mater and the surrounding walls of the spinal canal through a short, thick needle with a side hole to reduce the likelihood of the needle penetrating the dura mater. In this case, pain relief occurs in the part of the body where the needle is located. In turn, subarachnoid anesthesia is performed by injecting a local anesthetic into the space between the arachnoid and dura mater.

Both types of anesthesia have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, epidural anesthesia is often used during childbirth, as it helps preserve the strength of the mother in order to make the last efforts of childbirth. However, it can also lead to low blood pressure and headaches. On the other hand, subarachnoid anesthesia provides a faster onset of anesthetic action and a higher level of pain relief, but can cause more serious complications such as sepsis and paraplegia.

The injection site for subarachnoid spinal anesthesia is most often the lumbar spine, while for epidural anesthesia the injection site is most often the sacral and coccygeal spine. The size of the anesthetized area depends on the amount and effectiveness of the local anesthetic injected. Dilute solutions of local anesthetic are used when it is necessary to numb the sensory rather than the motor nerves to a greater extent.

In most cases, a thin catheter inserted through a needle allows for repeated or prolonged injections of an anesthetic solution. Spinal anesthesia is performed in patients whose condition does not allow them to be subjected to general anesthesia, for example, due to infection of the chest cavity, during a number of operations in obstetric practice, to reduce the amount of administered medication during general anesthesia, or in the event that an experienced anesthesiologist for some reason - for reasons he does not want to resort to prescribing general anesthesia to the patient.

It is important to note that spinal anesthesia can have serious complications and should only be used under the supervision of experienced professionals. Complications that may occur after spinal anesthesia include headache, sepsis, and paraplegia. Therefore, before deciding to undergo spinal anesthesia, it is necessary to carefully evaluate the indications and contraindications, as well as the risks associated with its use.

In general, spinal anesthesia is an effective method of pain relief during surgery and childbirth, as well as in a number of other cases when general anesthesia is not possible or undesirable. However, its use should only be carried out under the supervision of experienced specialists and taking into account all possible risks and complications.

Spinal anesthesia is a method of analgesia that is used in surgery to reduce pain during lower limb surgery. It involves injecting a local anesthetic into the space around the spinal cord. There are two types of spinal anesthesia: subarachnoid and epidural.

Subarachnoid anesthesia involves the injection of a local anesthetic between the arachnoid membrane and the walls of the spinal canal. This method is less dangerous than an epidural, but can cause headaches and sepsis.

Epidural anesthesia involves injecting an anesthetic through a special needle into the space between the arachnoid and dura mater of the spinal cord, which allows for more complete pain relief. This method is more dangerous, but has fewer side effects than subarachnoid anesthesia.

Both types of spinal anesthesia can cause complications such as headache, paraplegia and sepsis, so careful preparation and examination of the patient is necessary before it is performed.

In general, spinal anesthesia is an effective method of pain relief during operations on the lower extremities, but requires qualified medical personnel and strict adherence to all safety measures during the procedure.

Spinal anesthesia is a type of local analgesia or general anesthesia using drugs that enter the patient’s body or brain through injections directly into the substance of the spinal cord or its membrane, often without weakening consciousness and motor activity, but sometimes in this form. We can also talk about the death of the spinal cord with a persistent and irreversible effect of a decrease or loss of certain types of sensitivity or other complications more or less varied in severity. Since this form of anesthesia is used less frequently than general anesthesia, because it relates to the field of spinal surgery, it is not discussed