Anesthesia glossary

Arterial Catheter Also called an A-line, is a thin plastic tube, or catheter that is inserted into an artery. An arterial catheter is usually used on the wrist (radial artery). The arterial line is used to monitor blood pressure continuously. Catheter A tube, usually plastic, used to introduce or withdraw fluid from the body. Central Venous Catheter (CVC) The CVC is also known as a central line and is a catheter that is inserted into a large vein in the neck or shoulder area. The CVC is used for giving medication and transmitting large volumes of fluid or blood. Endotracheal Tube A flexible, plastic tube that is placed in the mouth and down into the trachea (windpipe) to ventilate the lungs. Epidural Anesthesia An epidural is injected into the spinal canal, into the epidural space just outside the spinal cord. The injection site is the lower lumber area of the back. An epidural causes the rapid onset of numbness in the lower half of the body. General Anesthesia General anesthesia is a complex procedure in which a combination of drugs are given to ensure unconsciousness, amnesia (forgetfulness) and analgesia (pain control). It is the most common type of anesthesia used for surgical procedures. Intravenous Catheter Usually called an IV, an intravenous catheter is a plastic tube that allows fluid to pass directly into a vein. The word intravenous means within a vein in Latin. Giving someone an IV line is the fasted way to deliver medications throughout the body. Intubate To place an endotracheal tube into the trachea (windpipe) to maintain an open airway while a patient is unconscious. Oxygen and/or anesthetics can be administered through the endotracheal tube. Laryngeal Mask Airway An alternative to the endotracheal tube, the laryngeal mask airway is used to support the airway during general anesthesia. The laryngeal mask airway was invented in 1983 and is easier to insert than an endotracheal tube, though the endotracheal tube is necessary for some surgeries. Laryngoscope A laryngoscope is a metal instrument used to facilitate intubation. It is used to get a view of the vocal chords and glottis, so that an endotracheal tube can be properly inserted. The glottis is the space between the vocal chords through which the tube is passed. Local/Regional Anesthesia This technique is used to cause a loss of feeling in a specific part of the body. It allows patients to undergo medical procedures with reduced pain while remaining awake.

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Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) This method is often chosen when general anesthesia or deep sedation are not required. Anesthesia drugs are administered through an IV, or intravenous catheter, and vital signs are monitored just as they are during a general anesthesia procedure. Anesthesiologists carefully monitor blood pressure, heart rate and the amount of oxygen carried to vital organs during Monitored Anesthesia Care surgery. Muscle Relaxant Muscle relaxants are used to relax patients right before surgery. Spinal Anesthetic This method involves injections into the spinal canal resulting in numbness in the lower half of the body. The injection is made in the lower back and is delivered into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord.

Anesthesia dolorosa
Pain in an area or region that is anesthetic.

Balanced anesthesia
Anesthesia that balances the depressing effects on the motor, sensory, reflex and mental aspects of nervous system function by the anesthetic agents. The philosophy encourages the use of several agents, each designed to affect one of the functions.

Basal anesthesia
(a) Narcosis produced by preliminary medication so that the inhalation of anesthetic necessary to produce surgical anesthesia is greatly reduced. (b) n a state of narcosis, induced before the administration of a general anesthetic, that permits the production of states of surgical anesthesia with greatly reduced amounts of general anesthetic agents.

Block anaesthesia, block anesthesia, conduction anaesthesia, conduction anesthesia, nerve block anaesthesia, nerve block anesthesia
Anesthesia of an area supplied by a nerve; produced by an anesthetic agent applied to the nerve.

Bulbar anesthesia
That due to a lesion of the pons (A specific section of the brain formed by the rounded prominence on the front surface of the brainstem.)

Caudal anesthesia
Injection of an anesthetic into the sacral canal.

Central anesthesia

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Lack of sensation caused by disease of the nerve centers.

Closed circuit anesthesia

That produced by continuous rebreathing of a small amount of anesthetic gas in a closed system with an apparatus for removing carbon dioxide.

Conduction Anesthesia
A local anesthesia induced by injecting the local anesthetic agent close to the nerve trunk, at some distance from the operative field.

Crossed anesthesia
See under hemianesthesia. (crossed hemianesthesia , hemianesthesia cruciata loss of sensation on one side of the face and loss of pain and temperature sense on the opposite side of the body.)

Cryoanaesthesia, cryoanesthesia
Insensibility resulting from cold.

Dissociated anesthesia, dissociation anesthesia

Loss of perception of certain stimuli while that of others remains intact.

Electric anesthesia
That induced by passage of an electric current.

Endotracheal anesthesia
That produced by introduction of a gaseous mixture through a tube inserted into the trachea.

Epidural anesthesia
That produced by injection of the anesthetic into the extradural space, either between the vertebral spines or into the sacral hiatus (caudal block - anesthesia by injection of local anesthetic into the caudal or sacral canal.)

Field block anesthesia

The anesthetic agent is injected around the boundaries of the area to be anesthetized, with no attempt to locate specific nerves.

Frost anesthesia

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Abolition of feeling or sensation as a result of topical refrigeration produced by a jet of a highly volatile liquid.

General anaesthesia, general anesthesia

A state of total unconsciousness resulting from anesthetic drugs (as for a major surgical operation).

Glove Anesthesia
An anesthesia with a distribution corresponding to the part of the skin covered by a glove

Infiltration anesthesia
(a) Local anesthesia produced by injection of the anesthetic solution in the area of terminal nerve endings. (b) A local anesthesia induced by injecting the anesthetic agent directly into or around the tissues to be anesthetized; used for operative procedures on the maxillary premolar, anterior teeth, and mandibular incisors. Also called field block.

Inhalation anesthesia
That produced by the inhalation of vapors of a volatile liquid or gaseous anesthetic agent.

Insufflation anesthesia
That produced by blowing a mixture of gases or vapors into the respiratory tract through a tube.

Intraosseous anesthesia
The local anesthesia produced by the injection of a local anesthetic agent into the cancellous portion of a bone.

Intrapulpa anesthesia
The injection of a local anesthetic agent directly into pulpal tissue under pressure.

Intrasynovial anesthesia
Injection of a local anesthetic agent into a joint or tendon sheath.

Intravenous anesthesia
The anesthetic agent, e.g. a barbiturate, is administered intravenously to effect. If an intravenous catheter is used, 'topping-up' amounts can also be administered as required.

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Intravenous regional anesthesia

See bier technique. (Bier technique - intravenous injection of a local anesthetic into a portion of the body isolated by a tourniquet, e.g. a distal limb, to anesthetize sensory motor nerves to the whole area. Called also intravenous regional analgesia.}

Irreversible anesthesia
The loss of sensory and motor function of the part is permanent. The local injection of isopropyl alcohol has this effect.

Local anaesthesia, local anesthesia

Loss of sensation in a small area of the body (as when a local anesthetic is injected for a tooth extraction).

Lumbar epidural anesthesia

That produced by injection of the anesthetic into the epidural space at the second or third lumbar interspace.

Muscular anesthesia
Loss or lack of muscle sense.

Nerve block anesthesia

The anesthetic agent is deposited from a syringe and needle as close to the target nerve as possible. Several injections are often made if the landmarks for the location of the nerve are not outstanding.

Obstetrical anesthesia
See obstetrical anesthesia.

Open anesthesia
General inhalation anesthesia using a cone, without significant rebreathing of exhaled gases. peripheral anesthesia that due to changes in the peripheral nerves.

Parasacral anesthesia
Regional anesthesia produced by injection of a local anesthetic around the sacral nerves as they emerge from the sacral foramina.

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Paravertebral anesthesia
Regional anesthesia produced by the injection of a local anesthetic around the spinal nerves at their exit from the spinal column, and outside the spinal dura.

Parenteral anesthesia
Anesthesia induced by the injection of the agent, either intravenously, intraperitoneally, subcutaneously or intramuscularly.

Peripheral anesthesia
Lack of sensation due to changes in the peripheral nerves.

Permeation anesthesia
Analgesia of a body surface produced by application of a local anesthetic, most commonly to the mucous membranes. Called also surface anesthesia.

Rectal anesthesia
Anesthesia produced by introduction of the anesthetic agent into the rectum.

Refrigeration anesthesia
Local anesthesia produced by applying a tourniquet and chilling the part to near freezing temperature. Called also cryoanesthesia.

Regional anesthesia
Insensibility caused by interrupting the sensory nerve conductivity of any region of the body: produced by (1) field block, encircling the operative field by means of injections of a local anesthetic; or (2) nerve block, making injections in close proximity to the nerves supplying the area.

Regional anaesthesia, regional anesthesia

Loss of sensation in a region of the body produced by application of an anesthetic agent to all the nerves supplying that region (as when an epidural anesthetic is administered to the pelvic region during childbirth).

Sacral anesthesia
Spinal anesthesia by injection of anesthetic into the sacral canal and about the sacral nerves.

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Saddle block anesthesia

See under block. Saddle block regional anesthesia in an area of the buttocks, perineum, and inner aspects of the thighs, by introducing the anesthetic agent low in the dural sac.

Segmental anesthesia
Loss of sensation in a segment of the body due to a lesion of a nerve root.

Spinal anesthesia
1. regional anesthesia by injection of a local anesthetic into the subarachnoid space around the spinal cord. 2. loss of sensation due to a spinal lesion.

Splanchnic anesthesia
Block anesthesia for visceral operation by injection of the anesthetic agent into the region of the celiac ganglia.

Subarachnoid anesthesia
See intrathecal anesthesia (above).

Surface anesthesia
The application of a local anesthetic agent in solution, as in eye drops, or as a jelly, cream or ointment. The use of cold materials which freeze the superficial layers of skin is not much used in veterinary surgery. See also permeation anesthesia (above).

Surgical anesthesia
That degree of anesthesia at which operation may safely be performed. There is muscular relaxation, and coordinated movements, consciousness and pain sensations disappear; many of the spinal neuromuscular reflexes are abolished.

Surgical anesthesia
That degree of anesthesia at which operation may safely be performed.

Tactile anesthesia
Loss or impairment of the sense of touch.

Topical anaesthesia, topical anesthesia

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(a) Loss of sensation confined to the skin or mucous surfaces (as when benzocaine or Lidocaine is applied to the surface) (b) A form of local anesthetic agent with which the surface free nerve endings in accessible structures are rendered incapable of stimulation by applying a suitable solution directly to the surface of the area. Used on the surface soft tissue before a local anesthetic injection to anesthetize surface soft tissues for minor operative procedures.

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