Controlling pain after your operationYou may offered a regional anaesthetic in addition to a general anaesthetic or sedation. A regional anaesthetic is a specialised technique whereby local anaesthetic is administered in order to numb the area being operated on. This procedure is typically done to relieve pain after your operation. It has the benefit of reducing the amount of stronger pain medications you might need, such as morphine. As a result, this may help by reducing nausea & sedation, which are common side effects of these medications.
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Risks of Regional Anaesthesia
All regional procedures are carried out in accordance with the Australian & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists standards. Whenever a needle is inserted into the body to inject local anaesthetic, you may experience bruising or mild tenderness at the site of injection. The risk of introducing infection is low. I follow aseptic or sterile technique as required for each individual procedure. There is a small risk of damage to the nerve itself. This is very rare. It may lead to numbness or weakness that outlasts the expected duration of the procedure. This mostly resolves over time but may be permanent. I use Ultrasound when appropriate for the majority of techniques, this improves accuracy and reduces the chance of nerve damage. I will go through these risks in more detail before you decide whether to have the procedure. |
Frequently asked questions
Why have a regional when I'll be asleep anyway?
All patients require pain relief even whilst they are asleep, otherwise they would wake up in severe pain. Strong pain medications often give patients side effects such as nausea, vomiting, itching, dizziness and sedation. Some patients would rather not experience these side effects upon waking and would rather the surgical area be numb when they wake up.
A regional will reduce the amount of strong pain medications that would otherwise be required after your operation.
We have found patients that are comfortable immediately after surgery often experience less debilitating pain overall, thus making a swifter recovery.
All patients require pain relief even whilst they are asleep, otherwise they would wake up in severe pain. Strong pain medications often give patients side effects such as nausea, vomiting, itching, dizziness and sedation. Some patients would rather not experience these side effects upon waking and would rather the surgical area be numb when they wake up.
A regional will reduce the amount of strong pain medications that would otherwise be required after your operation.
We have found patients that are comfortable immediately after surgery often experience less debilitating pain overall, thus making a swifter recovery.
I am worried about the risk, what is the alternative to a regional?
When patients decide they would rather not have a regional anaesthetic, I give a combination of medications to control pain. I start with the simple medications such as panadol and ibuprofen, working up to the stronger ones such as Tramadol and Morphine. The stronger ones are weaned off as you no longer need them leaving the weaker ones with fewer side effects. If you undergo very painful surgery, you may be offered a 'morphine drip'. You will be given a button to press when you feel pain, the machine will deliver a safe amount of morphine or an alternative pain medication if you are sensitive to morphine. You cannot overdose accidentally with this system. |
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