Unit 1 Notes Flashcards
Define anesthesia
A loss of sensation; especially to pain
What are the 3 basic types of anesthesia?
Local, regional, and general
Which basic type of anesthesia is the only one that renders the patient unconscious?
General anesthesia
Define local anesthesia
A loss of sensation confined to a small/limited part of the body
What are the two types of local anesthesia?
Topical and injectable
Which type of local anesthesia is most commonly used?
Injectable
Where are topical local anesthetics applied?
Mucous membrane areas of the body
Route of administration for injectable local anesthetics and how they work
*Parenteral (SQ) By blocking the transmission of nerve impulses to that area
Name a few surgical procedures we commonly use local anesthetics for
Skin biopsies Laceration repairs Small tumor removals
6 advantages of local anesthetics
Decrease in patient toxicity, Minimal patient recovery time, Cheaper, Provides analgesia, Ideal for high risk patients, Less equipment
3 Disadvantages for the use of local anesthetics
Patient restraint, concise placement of drug, no control of drug once injected
Typically, all drugs ending in “-caine” are what kind of drug?
Local anesthetics
Which of the “-caines” are the oldest and still most commonly used in practice today?
Lidocaine
Which local anesthetic is in the triple antibiotic ointment that we use on post-op incisions?
Tetricaine
Lidocaine =
Xylocaine (R)
Bupivicaine =
Marcaine (R)
Mepivicaine =
Carbocaine (R)
Procaine =
Novocaine (R)
Why would epinephrine EVER be added to a local anesthetic?
To provide longer duration of action of a local anesthetic.
Define regional anesthesia
A loss of sensation affecting an area or region of the body
Where are regional anesthetics typically injected?
Around a group of nerves
What is the most common example of regional anesthesia?
Epidural
Where is an epidural administered?
SQ: between L7 and Sacrum
Why do we use epidurals?
Provides analgesia for up to 24 hours
What is the form of anesthesia called that is injected along the spinal cord on either the left or right side of the spine that causes only 1/2 of the abdomen to be anesthetized?
Paralumbar nerve block
What procedure and animal do we commonly use paralumbar nerve blocks for?
C-sections in cattle
Define general anesthesia
A loss of sensation and consciousness of the patient
What 4 things does general anesthesia ideally include?
Hypnosis/unconsciousness, Hyporeflexia, Analgesia, Muscle relaxation
What is the family of drugs that typically causes muscle rigidity?
Cylohexamines
What are the two ways in which we can achieve general anesthesia?
via injectables or inhalants
Injectable general anesthesia (ex: CRI) is done by what route of administration and typically for what kind of patients?
IV/IM for fractious patients
What are general anesthetic inhalants?
Anesthetic gases
How are GA inhalants delivered to the patient?
Via mask, ET tube, or chamber
What are GA inhalants typically used in conjunction with?
Injectable anesthetics
What are the 4 components of general anesthesia?
PA Induction Maintenance & Recovery
Define PA period
The period of time immediately preceding induction in which you prepare yourself and your patient for the anesthetic procedure.
What is the induction period?
Process by which the patient leaves the normal state of consciousness and enters an unconscious state
How long should the induction period typically be and how is it achieved?
Less than 1 min. achieved by the use of injectable/inhalant drugs
Define maintenance period
Period following induction in which a stable level of anesthesia is achieved
Define recovery period
Period of time following the discontinuance of anesthetics and when the patient’s vital signs are WNL.