Local Anaesthesia and Analgesia Flashcards

1
Q

What is local analgesia?

A

Use of a drug to produce temporary loss of all sensation in a limited part of the body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is local anaesthesia?

A

Any technique to render part of the body insensitive to pain without affecting consciousness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Which groups of drugs can be used to achieve local analgesia?

A

Opioids, local anaesthetics and alpha-2 agonists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the characteristics of lidocaine?

A

Amide type local anaesthetic with good potency
Short 10-15 min onset of action with up to 2 hrs DOA
Causes vasodilation so often formulated with adrenaline, may cause SC and skin swelling in horses so rarely used

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the characteristics of procaine?

A

Ester with poor potency
Long onset of action 15-20min with 45-60min DOA
Only local anaesthetic licensed for food producing animals in EU

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the characteristics of mepicacaine?

A

Amide with good potency
Short onset of 10 mins and long DOA of 6-8 hrs
Commonly used for equine nerve blocks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the characteristics of bupivacaine?

A

Amide with strong potency
Long onset of 30-40 mins and long DOA of 6-8 hours
High incidence of cardiotoxicity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are the characteristics of ropivacaine?

A

Similar to bupivacaine but less cardiotoxic and may be slightly less potent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the characteristics of tetracaine and proparacaine?

A

Both lipid soluble used topically in the eye with short onset and duration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the characteristics of prilocaine?

A

Lipid soluble for absorption across intact skin
Relatively high potential to cause methaemaglobinaemia
Formulated with lidocaine in EMLA cream

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How is EMLA cream used?

A

Applied to intact skin and left for 30 minutes to take effect, apply a light bandage over the ointment
Useful for IV or arterial catheterisation of nervous animals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the dose for lidocaine?

A

5mg/kg with toxic dose at 10-20mg/kg

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the dose used for bupivacaine?

A

2mg/kg with toxic dose of 3.5-4.5mg/kg

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the dose used for ropivacaine?

A

1.5-3mg/kg with toxic dose of 5mg/kg

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the biochemical structure of local anaesthetics?

A

Weak bases consisting of a lipophilic ring, a link and a hydrophilic amine
Solubilised for injection as strong conjugate acidic hydrochloride salts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the classification of amines or esters based on?

A

The link present between the lipophilic ring an hydrophilic amine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How do local anaesthetics work?

A

Block the sodium channels from the inner surface of the axonal membrane preventing propagation of axonal action potentials

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is the speed of onset of a local anaesthetic related to?

A

Dose and proportion of drug in the non-ionised lipid soluble form which is determined by the pKa and ambient pH

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What determines the potency of a local anaesthetic?

A

Lipid solubility with sensitivity of the axon determined by axonal diameter and degree of myelination

20
Q

What is the duration of action of a local anaesthetic determined by?

A

Degree of protein binding and speed of absorption from injection site

21
Q

How are ester local anaesthetics metabolised?

A

Hydrolysis by plasma cholinesterase

One of the break down products, p-aminobenzoic acid, can cause allergic reactions

22
Q

How are amide local anaesthetics metabolised?

A

In the liver

23
Q

Why are vasoconstrictors added to local anaesthetics?

A

To reduce local blood flow and therefore reduce absorption and prolong duration of action

24
Q

How is the caridovascular toxicity of local anaesthetics explained?

A

Related to reduced membrane conduction resulting in arrhythmias and reduced cardiac contractility

25
Q

How is the difference in severity depending on different local anaesthetic drugs used explained?

A

Relative protein binding
Lidocaine binds less strongly than bupivacaine and is used as an anti-arrhythmic
Bupivacaine binds strongly and is difficult to displace from cardiac conducting tissue and myocardium, it also blocks potassium channels

26
Q

What are the potential CNS toxicity reactions of local anaesthetics?

A

Mild changes in peripheral sensation to sedation/coma/convulsions and death

27
Q

How does prilocaine cause methaemoglobinaemia?

A

Its o-toluidine metabolite can oxidise haemoglobin to methaemaglobin

28
Q

What are the different routes of local anaesthetic administration?

A
Topical
Infiltrative
Regional nerve block
Intravenous Regional Analgesia (Bier's Block)
Intra-articular analgesia
Epidurals
29
Q

Which local anaesthetic methods are considered topical?

A

Ophthalmic use, laryngeal prior to intubation, cutaneous and splash blocks

30
Q

How is local anaesthetic used infiltratively?

A

Injection of local anaesthetic into the tissues around the surgical site and is commonly referred to as a line/field block

31
Q

How are local anaesthetics used with soaker catheters?

A

Soaker catheters are inserted intraperitoneal/interpleural/ intra-articular and slowly release local anaesthetic

32
Q

Give an example of soaker catheter use

A

Installation of bupivacaine through chest drains has been shown to improve respiratory function after thoracotomy although pain on initial installation may be seen

33
Q

What are the indications for intravenous regional analgesia (IVRA)?

A

Surgery of the distal limb

34
Q

What are the contraindications for IVRA?

A

Tumour removal, sensitivity to lidocaine, surgery lasting longer than 2 hours

35
Q

What is the theory behind IVRA?

A

The limb is exsanguinated and isolated from the circulation with an Esmarch’s bandage and tourniquet
Local anaesthetic is injected into a vein distal to the tourniquet and bathes the dependent tissues resulting in intense analgesia as long as the tourniquet is in place

36
Q

What drugs can be used for IVRA?

A

Lidocaine only as bupivacaine and ropivacaine are CI due to their cardiotoxicity

37
Q

What dose of lidocaine is used for IVRA?

A

Dogs and cats with mid-radial tourniquet = 0.5-2ml 2% lidocaine

38
Q

What are the benefits of using intra-articular analgesia?

A

Produced profound analgesia of the particular joint with minimal systemic side effects

39
Q

What must be considered when performing intra-articular analgesia?

A

Drugs must be preservative free and a sterile injection technique is essential

40
Q

Which surgeries can epidurals be used with?

A

Hindlimb, pelvic or abdominal surgery

41
Q

How are epidural used?

A

In combination with general anaesthesia or as a sole anaesthetic/analgesic technique

42
Q

How is an epidural performed?

A

Analgesic drugs are injected into the epidural space beneath the ligamentum flavum but above the dura mater
SA = lumbosacral space
LA = sacro-coccygeal space between Co1-Co2

43
Q

What are the contraindications for performing an epidural?

A

Sepsis or local infection, coagulopathy, hypovolaemia or lumbosacral fractures

44
Q

Why is there a greater chance of puncturing the dura mater in cats?

A

The subaracnoid space extends further caudally than in dogs

45
Q

What combination of drugs are typically used for an epidural?

A

Local anaesthetic (lidocaine/ropivacaine) and an opioid (morphine) but alpha-2 agonists (xylazine) are used in large animals

46
Q

What are the potential complications of an epidural?

A

Failure of block, incompete analgesia, impaired locomotion post-operatively, urinary retention and hypotension

47
Q

What are the onset and duration of action of some of the drugs commonly used in epidurals?

A

Lidocaine 2% rapid onset, 2h DOA
Bupivacaine 0.5% 20-30 min onset, 4-8h DOA
Levobupivacaine 0.75% similar to bupivacaine
Ropivacaine 0.75% 15-20 min onset, 4-6h DOA less motor
Morphine 0.1mg/kg onset 1 hour, DOA 12-24 hrs, sensory effects only
Methadone 0.1mg/kg
Alpha-2 agonists xylazine and detomidine have been used but sedation and ataxia at high doses