“Do you get sedation for hand surgery?”
I will have hand nerve surgery. Do you get sedation for hand surgery?
4 Answers
AnesthesiologistAnesthesiologist
Hello!
These days most hand surgery procedures can now be performed under local anesthesia in the clinic setting, without the need for sedation or general anesthesia, using a technique called WALANT, which stands for wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet. A regional anesthetic is a common choice for hand surgery, as it makes use of anesthetic medication to selectively block the sensation of the nerves in a specific area of the body. An anesthetic medication would be injected through a needle along the nerve path.
These days most hand surgery procedures can now be performed under local anesthesia in the clinic setting, without the need for sedation or general anesthesia, using a technique called WALANT, which stands for wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet. A regional anesthetic is a common choice for hand surgery, as it makes use of anesthetic medication to selectively block the sensation of the nerves in a specific area of the body. An anesthetic medication would be injected through a needle along the nerve path.
There is localized sedation (anesthesia) & general sedation for all nerve-related surgery. The sedation type is up to your surgeon & the severity of your diagnosis. For example, carpal tunnel release can be done with localized sedation where you are awake throughout the procedure. The carpal tunnel located superficially at the volar wrist & distal to it will have no feeling in order to open the tunnel & release the compressed median nerve. Your overall health is also a factor in administering the type of sedation or ability to receive sedation at all.
You can
Hand surgery can be performed under straight local or under a local anesthetic block. Both can be combined with sedation. Best to speak to your hand surgeon to see what he or she recommends.
