LA: Equipment Flashcards
What are the three types of needles used for giving LA?
- ultrashort
- short
- long
What is meant by the ‘gauge’ of the needle?
The size of the hole in the needle (width)
The higher the gauge number, the —– the size of the needle hole
smaller
What is the gauge and needle length for an ultrashort needle?
- 10mm long (1cm)
- 30 gauge
Two types of short needles with the same length (25mm) but different gauge can be used, What are the two different gauges?
- Gauge 30
- Gauge 27
What is the gauge and needle length for a long needle?
- 35mm length (3.5cm)
- 27 gauge
Label the local anaesthetic cartilage.
what info does an LA cartilage label have?
- Trade name
- anaesthetic name and conc.
- vasoconstrictor and concentration
- Lot number - traceable
- expiry date
What is inside each LA cartilage?
- 2.2ml or 1.8ml
- anaesthetic agent
- vasoconstrictor (not all)
- stabiliser (not all)
- isotonic carrier medium
What is the purpose of the vasoconstrictor in LA cartilage?
- LA agent is vasodilatory, vasoconstrictor counteracts its effect.
What are the three advantages of using a vasoconstrictor?
- Improves the time it takes for anaesthetic to come into effect (onset) and how long its effect lasts (duration.
- Reduces bleeding
- Reduces the amount of systemic absorption of LA by reducing plasma conc.
what is the most common vasoconstrictor used in LA?
- Adrenaline (epinephrine)
what is the purpose of a stabiliser in LA cartilage?
- It stabilises vasoconstrictive agent
Why is it important to aspirate?
- It aids in preventing intravascular (IV) injection
Why is it bad to inject into the bloodstream (IV injection)when administering LA?
- Failed/insufficient anaesthesia
- higher risk of systemic side effects
Explain how you would aspirate and what you are looking for when aspiration.
- inject into the site needed
- push syringe slightly
- release syringe
- cartilage must not have blood inside
