Dosing regimens for spinal and epidural anesthesia

Spinal anesthesia has proven to be a reliable and safe technique of major conduction anesthesia for nearly a century. Epidural anesthesia is being used for a multitude of applications in the operating room, labor and delivery setting, and more for the relief of postoperative analgesia. It is also noted that a growing number of nurse anesthetists are expanding their expertise in regional anesthesia to include continuous spinal, spinal techniques for infants, and epidural anesthesia techniques. This article reviews the physiological and pharmacological factors influencing the choice of anesthetic agents for major conduction anesthesia and the suggested dosing regimens.