Managing sympathetic blockade in the postanesthesia care unit: a case report

Based on the content of this article, the reader should be able to (1) discuss the significance of differential blockade on postanesthesia nursing assessment; (2) compare the zones of differential blockade between spinal and epidural anesthesia; (3) state the physiological response to preload caused by sympathetic blockade; (4) assess sympathetic blockade using a dermatome figure; and (5) state three interventions used to manage sympathetic blockade.