Do I Have to be Put Under for Hand Surgery or Can I Opt for a Twilight Procedure Instead?

The type of anesthesia a patient will have for hand surgery depends on the extent of the surgery, the patient’s overall medical condition and the preference of the patient, their surgeon and the anesthesiologist. General anesthesia is where the patient is “put under,” and most hand surgeries don’t require this. A twilight state is nowthought of as a state where the patient is sedated. They might even be given some mild sedatives like valium the night before they come in for the surgery. This is often used in patients who are unusually anxious abut the surgery. Some form of anesthesia will still be used during the surgery.

There are generally three types of anesthesia that are used during hand surgery. They’re local, regional and general. During local anesthesia, the pain killing medication is injected directly into the site where the operation is to take place. This usually accompanies twilight or sedation medication.

Regional anesthesia is also known as a nerve block. In this sort of anesthesia the painkiller is administered through a needle that’s inserted along the neural pathways. The patient might also have sedation medication for this type of anesthesia. There are many types of regional anesthesia. The anesthetic can be inserted above the collarbone, under the armpit, in the muscles at the nape of the neck, below the collarbone, in the arm or in the wrist. Another sort of block, called the rescue block, is given to the patient after the surgery to make them comfortable. A rescue block can also be given after another block as part of the overall anesthesia needed for the operation.

General anesthesia is when the patient is put to sleep during the surgery. General anesthesia can be used with or without a nerve block.