Local anesthesia/anesthetics infiltration

Forms of local anesthesia. Local anesthetics are applied via different routes, including infiltration of the tissue (infiltration anesthesia] or injection next to the nerve branch carrying fibers from the region to be anesthetized (conduction anesthesia of the nerve, spinal anesthesia of segmental dorsal roots), or by application to the surface of the skin or mucosa (surface anesthesia]. In each case, the local anesthetic drug is required to diffuse to the nerves concerned from a depot placed in the tissue or on the skin. 

Amide-type agents include articaine, lidocaine, bupivacaine, prilocaine, mepivacain and ropiva-caine. These are metabolized in the liver by microsomal enzymes with amidase activity. The amide group is preferred for parenteral and local use. If by accident rapidly administered intravascularly these agents, especially bupivacaine but also lidocaine, can produce serious and potentially lethal adverse effects including convulsions and cardiac arrest. They can more easily accumulate after multiple administrations. Intravenous lidocaine is sometimes used for regional anesthesia, for infiltration procedures, for the induction of nerve blockade and for epidural anesthesia. However, it is also used as an antiarrhythmic. Bupivacaine is a long-acting local anesthetic used for peripheral nerve blocks and epidural anesthesia. 

Infiltration (i.e., the injection of local anesthetics under the skin) of the surgical site provides adequate anesthesia if contiguous structures are not stimulated. Since the onset of local anesthesia is rapid, the surgical procedures can proceed with little delay. Minimally effective concentrations should be used, especially in extensive procedures, to avoid toxicity from overdosage. 

Lidocaine hydrochloride is a local anesthetic/vasopressor preparation. Lidocaine stabilizes neuronal membranes by inhibiting the ionic fluxes required for the initiation and conduction of impulses, thereby effecting local anesthetic action. Epinephrine stimulates both alpha and beta receptors within sympathetic nervous system relaxes smooth muscle of bronchi and iris and is an antagonist of histamine. They are indicated for production of local or regional anesthesia by infiltration techniques such as percutaneous injection, by peripheral nerve block techniques such as brachial plexus and intercostals, and by central neural techniques such as lumbar and caudal epidural blocks. 

Prilocaine, a local anesthetic (4% with 1 200,000 epinephrine in 1 to 8 mL dental cartridge), is indicated for local anesthesia by nerve block or infiltration in dental procedures. 

Chloroprocaine (N,N -diethylaminoethyl 4-amino-2-chlorobenzoate) is a very short-acting, amino ester-type local anesthetic used to provide regional anesthesia by infiltration as well as by peripheral and central nerve block, including lumbar and caudal epidural blocks. The presence of a chlorine atom ortho to the carbonyl of the ester function increases its rate of hydrolysis by plasma cholinesterase at least threefold compared to procaine and benzocaine. Thus, chloroprocaine may be used in maternal and neonatal patients with minimal placental passage of chloroprocaine. The lower plasma cholinesterase activity in the maternal epidural space must still have sufficient activity for degrading chloroprocaine and, thus, not allowing it to cross the placenta barrier. 

EMLA is a eutectic mbcture of 2.5% lidocaine and 2.5% prilocaine, which, when mbced, form a liquid that is formulated into a water-oil emulsion. EMLA is available as a cream, a gel and an anesthetic disc. Only the cream and gel are available in the USA. The cream is approved for use on intact skin for local anesthesia or genital mucosa for superficial minor surgery and as pretreatment for infiltration anesthesia. The gel is approved for adults who require localized anesthesia in periodontal pockets during scaling and/or root planning [1]. 

Pain and hyperthermia at the injection site can be reduced by pre-administration neural blockade, and administration during general anesthesia. Ideally, Adlea may he applied to patients receiving anesthesia and post-operative analgesia with epidural and peripheral neural blockade catheters. Residual pain may be controlled with local application of ice packs, local anesthetic infiltration, and oral acetaminophen. 

Specific Local Anesthetic Agents. Clinically used local anesthetics and the methods of appHcation are summarized in Table 5. Procaine hydrochloride [51-05-8] (Novocain), introduced in 1905, is a relatively weak anesthetic having along onset and short duration of action. Its primary use is in infiltration anesthesia and differential spinal blocks. The low potency and low systemic toxicity result from rapid hydrolysis. The 4-arninobenzoic acid... 

Lidocaine hydrochloride [73-78-9] (Xylocaine), is the most versatile local anesthetic agent because of its moderate potency and duration of action, rapid onset, topical activity, and low toxicity. Its main indications are for infiltration, peripheral nerve blocks, extradural anesthesia, and in spinal anesthesia where a duration of 30 to 60 min is desirable. Because of its vasodilator activity, addition of the vasoconstrictor, epinephrine, increases the duration of action of Hdocaine markedly. It is also available in ointment or aerosol preparations for a variety of topical appHcations. 

Local infiltration anesthesia is die injection of a local anesthetic druginto tissues. This type of anesfliesia may be used for dental procedures, die suturing of small wounds, or making an incision into a small area, such as that required for removing a superficial piece of tissue for biopsy. 

The answer is d. (Hardman, p T36J The addition of a vasoconstrictor, such as epinephrine or phenylephrine, to certain short-acting, local anesthetics is a common practice in order to prevent the rapid systemic absorption of the local anesthetics, to prolong the local action, and to decrease the potential systemic reactions. Some local anesthetics cause vasodilation, which allows more compound to escape the tissue and enter the blood. Procaine is an ester-type local anesthetic with a short duration of action due to rather rapid biotransformation in the plasma by cholinesterases. The duration of action of the drug during infiltration anesthesia is greatly increased by the addition of epinephrine, which reduces the vasodilation caused by procaine. 

Infiltration anesthesia The direct introduction of local anesthetic into the skin or deeper tissue for surgical intervention is called infiltration anesthesia. 

Lidocaine is the most widely used local anesthetic. Its excellent therapeutic activity is fast-acting and lasts sufficiently long to make it suitable for practically any clinical use. It stabilizes cell membranes, blocks sodium channels, facilitates the secretion of potassium ions out of the cell, and speeds up the repolarization process in the cell membrane. It is used for terminal infiltration, block, epidural, and spinal anesthesia during operational interventions in dentistry, otolaryngology, obstetrics, and gynecology. It is also used for premature ventricular extrasystole and tachycardia, especially in the acute phase of cardiac infarction. Synonyms for this drug are xylocaine, neflurane, and many others. 

Local anesthetics are used for topical anesthesia, local infiltration, peripheral nerve block, paravertebral anesthesia, intravenous block also known as regional anesthesia, epidural block, and spinal i.e. subarachnoid blockade. The local anesthetics may be divided into two main groups, the esters and the amide-type agents. 

Local anesthetics are used extensively on the mucous membranes in the nose, mouth, tracheobronchial tree, and urethra. The vasoconstriction produced by some local anesthetics, cocaine especially, adds a very important advantage to their use in the nose by preventing bleeding and inducing tissue shrinkage. Topical anesthesia permits many diagnostic procedures in the awake patient, and when it is combined with infiltration techniques, excellent anesthesia may be obtained for many... 

Lidocaine hydrochloride Xylocaine) is the most commonly used local anesthetic. It is well tolerated, and in addition to its use in infiltration and regional nerve blocks, it is commonly used for spinal and topical anesthesia and as an antiarrhythmic agent (see Chapter 16). Lidocaine has a more rapidly occurring, more intense, and more prolonged duration of action than does procaine. 

Dental or surgical procedures, childhirth Infiltration or Nerve Block Local anesthetic dosage varies with procedure, degree of anesthesia, vascularity, duration. Maximum dose 4.5 mg/kg. Do not repeat within 2 hr. 

Infiltration anesthesia— relatively nonspecific injection of the local anesthetic into the skin and deeper tissues of the area to be anesthetized... 

Pharmacological Profile. The profile of the ideal local anesthetic agent depends largely on the type and length of the surgical procedure for which it is applied. Procedures could include neuraxial (spinal and epidural) anesthesia, nerve and plexus blocks, or field blocks (local infiltration). In general, tine ideal agent should have a short onset of anesthesia and be useful for multiple indications such as infiltration, nerve blocks. 

This consists in the injection of the local anesthetic into or around the nerve trunk or in the area of its distribution, so as to block off sensory impulses from the operative field. Because fatal effects may arise from the absorption of the anesthetic, the smallest amount of the least-toxic agent that is effective should be employed, under conditions that minimize absorption. Procaine with the addition of epinephrine (1 100,000) is generally preferred. A well-planned technique is important. It is not necessary to flood the entire field of operation, as in the earliest methods, nor even to infiltrate the whole line of incision, as in infiltration anesthesia. It is now aimed at confining the anesthetic mainly to the nerves, by placing it where the nerves chiefly run or injecting it into the nerves themselves. 

Infiltration anesthesia is the injection of local anesthetic directly into tissue without taking into consideration the course of cutaneous nerves. Infiltration anesthesia can be so superficial as to include only the skin. It also can include deeper structures such as intra-abdominal organs when these too are infiltrated. The advantage of infiltration anesthesia and other regional anesthetic techniques is that it is possible to provide satisfactory anesthesia without disruption of normal bodily functions. 

Infiltration anesthesia The injection of local anesthetic directly into tissue without taking into consideration the course of cutaneous nerves duration can be extended with the addition of epinephrine (vasoconstrictor)... 

Procaine (novocain), the first synthetic local anesthetic, is an amino ester (see Figure 14-1) with low potency, slow onset, and short duration of action. Its use now is confined to infiltration anesthesia and occasionally for diagnostic nerve blocks. Its hydrolysis in vivo produces para-aminobenzoic acid which inhibits the action of sulfonamides. Thus, large doses should not be administered to patients taking sulfonamide drugs. 

The duration of infiltration anesthesia can be approximately doubled by the addition of epinephrine (5 pg/mL) to the injection solution epinephrine also decreases peak concentrations of local anesthetics in blood. Epinephrine-containing solutions should not, however, be injected into tissues supplied by end arteries- or exarrtple, fingers and toes, ears, the nose, and the penis. The resulting vasoconstriction may cause gangrene. 

The local anesthetics used most frequently for infiltration anesthesia are lidocaine (0.5-1%), procaine (0.5-1%), and bupivacaine (0.125-0.25%). When used without epinephrine, up to 4.5 mg/kg of lidocaine, 7 mg/kg of procaine, or 2 mg/kg of bupivacaine can be employed in adults. When epinephrine is added, these amounts can be increased by one-third. 

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