Archive for the ‘Anesthesia’ Category

PostHeaderIcon Epidural Anesthesia: Advice

epidural anesthesia: adviceAnalgesics are pain medications that can be administered intravenously or by injection, if necessary. Tranquilizers can be given intravenously to relieve women very nervous. However, do not relieve pain and can cause significant side effects. If the drugs are administered intravenously, the baby will also receive these drugs.

Talk to your doctor about the different medications available and how they can affect you and your baby. To receive an epidural, tell your doctor about the decision and find out what time of labor-no good starts or later, you may receive it. Read the rest of this entry »

PostHeaderIcon Epidural Anesthesia: Alternative Medication

epidural anesthesia: alternative medicationEpidural anesthesia is not the only medication can help control pain and stress of labor and delivery.

A spinal block, which is also injected into the lumbar spine through a catheter, can ease the pain quickly using lower doses of medication. However, as the spinal block only lasts 2 hours maximum, is given at birth rather than during labor.

It is possible that some women receive a combination of spinal block and epidural anesthesia, which provides faster pain relief and can be continued during labor. For some women, this analgesic allowed to walk once you have placed because it has less effect on muscle strength. Other techniques also allow walking, depending on the medication used. Read the rest of this entry »

PostHeaderIcon Risks of Epidural Anesthesia

risks of epidural anesthesiaRisks of epidural

The epidural has some drawbacks. May cause the following effects:

- difficult to push (although the anesthesiologist can control the amount of medication being given if this happens)
- a drop in mother’s blood pressure
- headache
- temporary difficulty with urination, requiring the placement of a urinary catheter
- hemorrhage (rarely)

While some research suggests that epidural increases the risk of having a cesarean section or vaginal delivery with forceps or vacuum extraction, other studies show no correlation. It is not clear whether surgery or assisted delivery were needed because of the epidural or if the epidural and the surgery or assisted delivery were needed because of some underlying problem. Read the rest of this entry »

PostHeaderIcon Epidural Anesthesia

epidural anesthesiaEpidural anesthesia is medication that most women have in mind when they think of pain relief during labor. A type of local anesthetic that provides continuous pain relief from the navel down (including the vaginal walls) throughout labor and during delivery. With epidural anesthesia, the woman is comfortable and fully conscious.

How is it administered?

Epidural anesthesia involves the use of drugs administered by an anesthesiologist through a thin catheter that is inserted into the lumbar spine of women and then in the area that covers the spinal cord (called epidural). You will have to sit or lie on your side with your back arched while the doctor places the epidural. Read the rest of this entry »

PostHeaderIcon Anesthesia in Diagnostic Tests

anesthesia in diagnostic testsSedation for diagnostic testing and in the critically ill

It is sometimes used not as a preparation for anesthesia but to prepare the patient for diagnostic tests, such as the endoscopy. It is also used to perform imaging tests in children, in some cases, the test takes too long for the child to remain still without using sedatives.

This can be determined in advance, or can be ordered by the radiologist at the time of testing. Sedation is administered by a doctor or a nurse trained to administer it. In these cases we must take into account the time of fasting, which is the same as that required for anesthesia in children. Read the rest of this entry »

PostHeaderIcon Anesthesia: The Procedure

anesthesiaPatient assessment

Sedation, as mentioned, is part of the preparation for surgery and anesthesia so you must make a medical record (containing all necessary information), a complete physical examination and appropriate complementary tests.

Sedation is usually given intravenously throughout the surgical procedure or diagnostic monitor patient’s vital signs. It is usually administered orally to be a slow absorption.

Preparing for the Procedure

Signed, written consent: the patient and family should be informed of the benefits, risks and limitations of sedation and analgesia and possible alternatives and subsequent recommendations. Then the patient must sign, confirming its proper information and consent. Read the rest of this entry »

PostHeaderIcon Anesthesia

anesthesiaComplete pain relief obtained by the administration of anesthetic drugs.

It can be:

- local, confined to a limited part of the body
- regional or nerve conduction block
- or inhalation general: that achieved by breathing anesthetic gases or vapors and entails complete loss of consciousness. In the local and regional awareness is maintained.

Sedation is often used in previous phases to induce anesthesia for diagnostic or therapeutic or seriously ill. The drugs were administered according to sex, age, weight and physical and mental condition of the patient. It is usually given intravenously. Read the rest of this entry »