Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
04:58
Collecting And Measuring Wound Exudate Biochemical Mediators In Surgical Wounds
Published on: October 20, 2012
Anesthetic and procedural sedation techniques for wound management
Chad S Crystal1, Todd J McArthur, Benjamin Harrison
1Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, 36000 Darnall Loop, Fort Hood, Temple, TX 76544, USA. chad.crystal@cen.amedd.army.mil
Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America
|April 3, 2007
Summary
Emergency physicians frequently manage pain and procedures using local anesthetics, nerve blocks, and procedural sedation. This review covers agents and techniques for effective pain management in the emergency department.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Anesthesiology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Emergency physicians encounter diverse painful conditions and procedures.
- Effective pain management is crucial in emergency care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review local anesthetic agents and their applications.
- To describe peripheral nerve blocks commonly performed in emergency departments.
- To cover procedural sedation and analgesia principles and agents.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of local anesthetics.
- Description of emergency department peripheral nerve block techniques.
- Overview of procedural sedation and analgesia.
Main Results:
- Local anesthetic agents offer versatile pain relief options.
- Peripheral nerve blocks provide targeted analgesia for specific injuries.
- Procedural sedation and analgesia enhance patient comfort during procedures.
Conclusions:
- Understanding anesthetic agents, nerve blocks, and sedation is vital for emergency physicians.
- These techniques improve patient care and procedural success in emergency settings.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
01:24General Anesthesia: Overview
Anesthesia is a medical procedure that uses drugs for CNS suppression to enable painless surgeries and procedures. The selection of anesthetics is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, side effects, and patient characteristics. Various types of anesthesia include general, local, regional, spinal, and inhalational.
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
01:22Stages of General Anesthesia
Various sedation levels offer significant advantages in facilitating procedural interventions for patients undergoing medical or invasive surgical procedures. These levels span from anxiolysis to general anesthesia, providing a spectrum of sedative effects to cater to specific patient needs. Anxiolysis reduces anxiety and is achieved through minimal sedation, enabling patients to remain awake and responsive while feeling more at ease during the procedure. This level can benefit minor...
01:30Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia
Depending on the target organ, local anesthetics (LAs) can be administered via various routes. In surface anesthesia, LAs are applied directly to the surface of the skin or mucous membranes. It is widely used for topical skin numbing before venipuncture or minor surgical procedures. Commonly used surface local anesthetics are lidocaine or benzocaine sprays or creams. Surface anesthesia occurs within 5 minutes and lasts for about 60 minutes. One of the main disadvantages of topical anesthesia is...
01:23Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications
Local anesthetics (LAs) are commonly used for various applications in medical and dental procedures. Some of the common agents used are cocaine, lidocaine, and bupivacaine.
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
01:16Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
Intravenous regional anesthesia or the Bier block technique is used to anesthetize a specific limb or extremity. It uses exsanguinated or blood-drained vessels to transport local anesthetics or LAs to the peripheral nerve trunks. Lidocaine without vasoconstrictors like epinephrine is most commonly used for this technique. Other drugs used are prilocaine, ropivacaine, and chloroprocaine. Bupivacaine is not recommended for this technique due to its high cardiac toxicity.
One of the advantages of...
One of the advantages of...