Anesthetics Flashcards
- Definition - anesthesia.
2. Type of agents used
Inducing reversible comma
Inducing and maintenance agents
Anxiolysis
Examples
Treatment of patients anxiety before the treatment
Examples include diazepam and midazolam
Amnesia and why
Delivery of the agent causes the patient to forget the experience of surgery
Areflexia agents and why
Muscle relaxants - suxamethonium (depolarizing agent) or rocuronium (non-depolarizing agent)
Used for muscle relaxation - easier manipulation of airway for intubation, relaxation of abdominal muscles for laparotomy, and prevention of generalized tonicity if electroconvulsive therapy
Autonomic stability
Monitoring stats (HR, BP, Temp) before, during, and after anesthesia
Analgesia
Treatment of pain or induction of numbness
Anesthetics - post-op management
Post-op pain, nausea/vomiting, confusion, and cardiovascular/respiratory complications
Acute pain - non-pharmacological management
- Cognitive - mindfulness-based stress reduction, relaxation training, CBT, sleep education, and hygiene
- Physical - exercise, ice/heat, massage
- Spiritual - finding purpose in life
- Others - acupuncture, osteopathy
Definition - Regional anesthesia
Types of regional anesthesia
- administration of a local anesthetic at a point along the length of a nerve from the level of the spinal cord or above→reduced impulse transmission along with the nerve→anesthesia along the entire distribution of that nerve/spinal level. The patient remains conscious during anaesthesia and intervention, and there is no CNS depression.
- Types - neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks
Definition - Neuraxial anesthesia
Spinal and epidural anaesthesia. Both are performed under sterile conditions with the patient attached to vitals monitoring and IVC in-situ with fluids running.
Spinal anesthesia - definition and preocedure
Description
▪ Injection of anaesthetic into the subarachnoid space→Anaesthetisation of the spinal roots passing at that point
o Procedure
▪ Sterilisation of the desired area of the back
• Patient in left lateral position curled into a ball, or sitting on the end of the bed with back arched forward
▪ Use local anaesthetic (e.g. 1% lidocaine) at the desired area prior to block insertion
▪ Insert a 25G needle into the L4/5 space
▪ Confirm entry by flow of CSF out and rotate the needle by 180 degrees
▪ Inject desired anaesthetic agent
• Commonly bupivacaine + glucose 1-3mL
▪ Monitor for a drop in BP and give pressors/fluids as necessary
Effects of spinal anesthesia
- Sympathetic blockade (vasodilation and degree of hypotension)
- Sensory blockade
- Motor blockade
Complications of spinal anesthesia
- Severe hypotension
- Apnoea or LOC
- Headache - usually secondary to CSF leak
- Urinary retention
- Permanent nerve damage
Epidural anesthesia - definition and procedure
Description
▪ Insertion of an indwelling catheter for an infusion of local anaesthesia into the extradural space
o Procedure
▪ Sterilisation of the area and patient positioning
• As per spinal block
▪ Local anaesthetic prior to block insertion
▪ Insert 16G Touhy needle into the ligamental flavum (2-3cm deep) at the L3/4
space
• Positioning is determined by a loss of resistance to insertion and injection
▪ Threading of an epidural catheter into the epidural space and withdrawal of the needle
▪ Administer a 2mL test dose of anaesthetic and assess response after 3 minutes
▪ Secure the catheter in place and inject the desired amount
▪ Ongoing monitoring of BP (5 minutely for the first 15 minutes)
Complications - epidural anesthesia
- Dural puncture - accidental spinal anesthesia
- Vessel rupture
- Epidural hematoma or abscess
Spinal vs Epidural
Spinal
o Immediate onset
o More reliable
o Dose cannot be titrated (no catheter placement)
o Injection into subarachnoid space
o Smaller needle and smaller dose
o May be used in obstetrics, but also used in lower limb surgery where a GA is contraindicated
Epidural o Delayed-onset o Effect can be variable o Dose can be titrated and allows for an infusion (catheter in-situ) o Injection into the epidural space o Larger needle and larger dose o Most commonly used in obstetrics
Contraindications to neuraxial anesthesia
- Anticoagulant use or coagulopathy
o Risk of bleeding→pressure on the spinal cord→
neurological damage - Sepsis
o Risk of introducing pathogens into the CSF - Shock or hypovolaemia
- Raised intracranial pressure
o Risk of coning/herniation - Unwilling patient
- Fixed-output states
- Mitral or aortic stenosis - due to its sympatholytic effect, potentially causing loss of vascular tone and ultimately diminished cardiac output
Peripheral nerve blocks - definition
Local anesthetic on a local nerve or plexus to induce anesthesia on specific nerve/plexus distribution
Usually done with the help of ultrasound peripheral nerve stimulator
Peripheral nerve blocks - agents used
Similar to local anesthetics
1. Lidocaine, bupivacaine, ropivacaine
2. Adrenaline is often given with the anesthetic to decrease systemic absorption and hence increase the efficacy of the localized effect
▪ NB: contraindicated in penile and digital blocks due to risk of vasoconstriction-induced ischemia
Peripheral nerve blocks - examples
Cervical Plexus Block
▪ Used for carotid endarterectomy surgery
Intrascalene/Brachial Plexus block
▪ Used for shoulder surgery
Axillary Block
▪ Hand/forearm surgery
Lumbosacral Plexus Block
▪ Hip surgery
Ilioinguinal-Iliohypogastric Nerve Block
▪ Inguinal hernia repair
Sciatic and/or Femoral Block
▪ Knee, leg, and ankle surgery
Bier’s Block
▪ IV local anesthesia given through the peripheral vein whilst the limb (usually arm) is occluded with a tourniquet/blood pressure cuff to minimize systemic absorption
Peripheral nerve blocks - contraindications
- Nerve injury - rare
- Bleeding
- Local anesthetic toxicity
- Seizures - This may be because peripheral nerve blocks are associated with injection of larger volumes of local anesthetic than other regional techniques.
Steps of WHO analgesic ladder
Step 1 = Non-opioid +/- adjuvant therapy
o E.g. regular NSAIDs and Paracetamol
• Step 2 = Weak opioid + Step 1
o Weak opioids = codeine and tramadol
o Commonly doctors will skip this step and opt to use lower doses of step 3 drugs as they are more commonly prescribed and can be more easily titrated up
• Step 3 = Strong opioid + Step 1
o Strong opioids = oxycodone(Endone), morphine, and fentanyl
• Step 4 = Interventional treatments + Step 1
o Interventions = peripheral/neuraxial nerve blocks and PCAs (Patient-Controlled Analgesia)
Ibuprofen - MOA, route, dosage and drug interaction
- COX inhibitor - Inhibits conversion of arachidonic acid into thromboxanes, prostaglandins, and prostacyclins.
- 200 - 400mg QID PO
- Decrease the antiplatelet effect of aspirin and combination with codeine is not recommended
Naproxen - MOA, route, dosage and drug interaction
- Similar to ibuprofen
- 250-500mg PO BD / 750-1000mg PO OD
- Can reduce the antiplatelet effect of aspirin