Dr. William Blane Richardson, MD

Pain Management Specialist | Interventional Pain Medicine

3520 Park Avenue Blvd Suite 105 Mt Pleasant SC, 29466 Show map

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About

Dr. Blane Richardson is double boarded in both Anesthesiology and Pain Management. He specializes in a combined approach of non-operative interventional techniques with medical and conservative therapy for chronic pain patients. His focus is primarily on spinal therapy but can treat a multitude of pain syndromes. His primary goal is to improve both your pain and functionality to allow patients regain a strong quality of life without turning to medications for long term dependence.

Dr. Richardson grew up in Kentucky but went to neighboring Tennessee for college at Vanderbilt. His path to medical school was a somewhat unusual. Initially graduating with a degree and a plan for advertising, He learned many life lessons several different fields of employment other than medicine, however, he eventually got the calling and focused on taking care of people later in life. He completed his premedical requirements at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX. After completing medical school at St. George’ s University in Grenada, he began an internship in Internal Medicine at Greenville Memorial Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina. He completed a residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Massachusetts and a fellowship in Pain Management at the University of Kentucky. While in Kentucky he served on the Quality Improvement Committee for Pain Management at the University Medical Center. He has been practicing Pain Management in Charleston, SC for the last 12 years. He has grown his scope of practice to include regenerative therapies, functional and integrative medical evaluation, infusion therapies, as well as metabolic and nutritional consultations.

Education and Training

St. George's University School of Medicine 2003

Board Certification

American Board of Anesthesiology

Pain Medicine (Anesthesiology)

Provider Details

Male English

Dr. William Blane Richardson, MD

Dr. William Blane Richardson, MD's Expert Contributions

My Answers

What should I eat after anesthesia?
If you are talking immediately after anesthesia, nothing. You need to give things a little time to make sure you don't have any issues, that might make aspirate your food into you lungs. If you are talking a few hours later, then whatever you feel you can tolerate. Start simple and slow like toast, crackers, water or ginger-ale and see how it goes. If everything goes smoothly you can eat more robust foods. READ MORE
What are the disadvantages of dental anesthesia?
The risk or benefits of the anesthesia are the same as with anesthesia in an operating room. The disadvantages are that an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist is not there in the dental office to assist or control the anesthesia. That means that often times the Dentist or oral surgeon is doing everything. They are doing the dental procedure and the anesthesia, which sometimes can be a lot to handle. They are typically trained to do this but there are times when an extra pair of hands is needed or helpful. READ MORE
Are you unconscious during oral surgery?
It depends on the type and extent of the surgery. Most oral surgeries are done under sedation and because of the type of medication used you probably won't remember much. However, there are some oral surgeries that require more invasive procedures, so they might be performed under general anesthesia or "unconscious". READ MORE
What happens if you stop breathing during anesthesia?
Well, honestly nothing. The majority of surgical case are done under what is called general anesthesia. The patient is put under a deep "sleep" with medications and gases so they do not wake up or feel the surgery being performed. Patients typically stop breathing during this level of anesthesia and it is the job of the anesthesia team to control and support the patient's airway and breathing during the procedure. So we as anesthesiologist expect and anticipate the patient to stop breathing. So we got you covered! READ MORE
What happens if you have a bad reaction to anesthesia?
That is a tricky question because "bad reaction" can mean a lot of different things. A serious reaction to certain types of general anesthesia is called malignant hyperthermia, and is a life threatening problem. It a rare conditions that is analogous to an anaphylactic reaction to medications used for general anesthesia. This is the most concerning type of bad reaction. Other reactions tend to be associated with nausea and vomiting. These can often be treated preemptively with medications to decrease the likelihood or severity. The potential for these bad reactions are often uncovered by the anesthesiologist prior to the procedure. Whatever your concerns, often discussing these with the anesthesia team prior to your procedure can usually be addressed. READ MORE
Can anesthesia be used in an oxygen chamber?
Yes, you can, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and anesthesia have been used in conjunction with each other to treat a variety of conditions for over 60 years. READ MORE
What type of anesthesia is used for back disc surgery?
A general anesthetic is typically used, which means an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist puts you to sleep and put a breathing tube in your airway. READ MORE

Areas of expertise and specialization

Interventional Spine ProceduresSpinal Neuromodulation with Dorsal Column Stimulator SystemsDorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) NeuromodulationPeripheral NeuromodulationSpinal Stenosis with Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD)Spinal Stenosis therapy with Inter-Vertebral device - Vertiflex Superion PlacementRestorative Medical Therapies

Awards

Most Distinguished Resident 2003 University of Massachusetts - Department of Anesthesiology

Professional Memberships

American Society of Anesthesiologists
American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
American Academy of Pain Medicine

Charities and Philanthropic Endeavors

O.U.R. - Operation Underground Railroad: An organization targeting, and eliminating child sex trafficking across the globe.

Areas of research

An Institutional Review Board (IRB) study by the International Cell Surgical Society (ICSS) for: Evaluation of the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Regenerative Therapy for the Treatment of various Chronic and Acute Conditions