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Epidural Anesthesia Essay

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Spinal and Epidural Anesthesia

Spinal anesthesia and epidural anesthesia are methods of numbing a part of your body during a medical procedure. They involve an injection of a numbing medicine (anesthetic) in your back, near your spinal cord.

Spinal anesthesia is usually done to numb your body from the level of the injection downward. It is often used during surgeries of the pelvis, hips, legs, and lower abdomen. It begins working almost immediately after the injection.

Epidural anesthesia may be done to numb the area above or below the injection. It is often used during childbirth and after major abdominal or chest surgery. It takes 10–20 minutes to begin working.

LET YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER KNOW ABOUT:

Any allergies you have.

All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines. …show more content…

Ask your health care provider if you will have to spend the night at the hospital. If you will not have to spend the night, arrange to have an adult drive you and stay with you for 24 hours.

PROCEDURE

You will be connected to several monitors. The connection can be via patches on the chest, a cuff around the arm, or a sensor device on a finger. The monitors will allow your health care provider to watch your blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen levels to make sure that the anesthetic does not cause any problems.

An IV tube may be inserted to give you fluids and medicines throughout the procedure as needed.

You will be asked to lie on your side with your knees and chin bent toward your chest, or you may be asked to sit up. These positions open up the space between the bones in your back and makes it easier for the medicine to be injected.

The area of your back where the medicine will be injected will be cleaned.

A medicine to numb a small area (local anesthetic) may be injected in the area where the spinal or epidural anesthetic will be

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