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Spinal Anesthesia Procedures

Having a spinal for an operation is an alternative to having general anesthesia. There are risks involved in both procedures, but for those who have health conditions that preclude general anesthesia, a spinal may be the best bet when having a necessary surgery that requires a large area of the body be blocked from pain messages. Many people think of a spinal being the same as an epidural, but it is not.

  1. Preparation

    • Before a spinal is performed on a patient, the area of injection will be closely observed for any abnormalities and cleansed thoroughly. A large circle surrounding the site will be scrubbed with an antiseptic solution, and the patient will be moved onto the operating table. All will be readied for the operation to begin, as the effect of the spinal is very rapid, and once it takes effect, the surgeon will need to begin.

    The Injection

    • The patient is asked to lean over and be as still as possible. He is asked to take a deep breath and hold it and sternly warned not to move. It is very important that the patient be still to avoid any spinal injury as the needle is inserted. The patient will feel a "pinch" and intense pressure and some pain, but stillness is a must. The needle is inserted into the space between the vertebra and anesthesia is injected directly into the space where the spinal cord resides.

    Effect

    • The effect of a spinal anesthetic is very rapid. The time from the injection until the body begins to become useless is about 20 seconds, so the patient will be urged to move quickly once the drug has been injected. The patient will be moved completely onto the operating table and the limbs secured to the table as they go numb. The patient will have a drape raised and secured to block the view of their body from the chest down, and the nurses and doctors will perform tests on the patient's body to verify when the drug has taken total effect. Once the body is numbed sufficiently, the surgeon may begin the operation and the anesthetic maintained for as long as is needed.

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