Local Anesthetic Use in Perioperative Areas

Local anesthesia is a pharmacologic technique used to render a small part of the body insensitive to pain. It allows the patient to safely undergo select medical or surgical procedures with reduced pain without altering their level of consciousness. Local anesthesia may also be used before venous cannulation, lumbar puncture, skin suturing, or to prevent pain caused by bone and/or muscle manipulations. This article reviews the physiology of pain, the mechanism of action and chemistry of the local anesthetics, adverse reactions, common dosages, and special considerations for the perioperative nurse managing patients receiving local anesthetics. This article also supplements the published AORN recommended practices for managing the patient receiving local anesthesia.