SPINAL ANESTHESIA

Course overview

THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL ANESTHESIA STARTED WITH THE ISOLATION OF LOCAL ANESTHETICS, THE FIRST BEING COCAINE (THE ONLY NATURALLY OCCURRING LOCAL ANESTHETIC). THE FIRST REGIONAL ANESTHETIC TECHNIQUE PERFORMED WAS SPINAL ANESTHESIA, AND THE FIRST OPERATION UNDER SPINAL ANESTHESIA WAS IN 1898 IN GERMANY BY AUGUST BIER. BEFORE THIS, THE ONLY LOCAL ANESTHETIC TECHNIQUES WERE TOPICAL ANESTHESIA OF THE EYE AND INFILTRATION ANESTHESIA. THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) COMPRISES THE BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD. THE TERM NEURAXIAL ANESTHESIA REFERS TO THE PLACEMENT OF LOCAL ANESTHETIC IN OR AROUND THE CNS. SPINAL ANESTHESIA IS A NEURAXIAL ANESTHESIA TECHNIQUE IN WHICH LOCAL ANESTHETIC IS PLACED DIRECTLY IN THE INTRATHECAL SPACE (SUBARACHNOID SPACE). THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE TECHNIQUE, CONTRAINDICATIONS, INDICATIONS OF SPINAL ANESTHESIA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE PATIENTS.