Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Orthopedic Surgery Supplement - August 2013

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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Page 6 P A I N C O N T R O L POST-OP PEARL Nerve blocks limit post-op complication risks and help send patients home sooner. Regional's Role In Improved Ortho Outcomes Look no further than nerve blocks for faster and safer recoveries. William Landess, CRNA, JD | Columbia, S.C. What's not to like about regional anesthesia? Patients who receive nerve blocks before joint or extremity procedures recover with less chance of PONV, less blood loss, fewer blood clots, shorter post-op stays and better pain control. Let's take a closer look at the pain control regimen that's ideally suited for orthopedic procedures. Widespread benefits Extremity and joint procedures match up well with regional anesthesia, because blocks can be placed effectively where a nerve plexus innervates a prospective surgical area, which can be found in nearly all areas of the body. Regional involves applying medications near nerve fibers, bathing them in anesthetizing agents and rendering the blocked area insensate to pain. It's best administered in a separate procedure area or pre-op/PACU bay before patients are wheeled into the OR, which keeps the suites clear for surgery and helps maintain the day's schedule. Peripheral nerve blocks and epidurals are sterile procedures

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