[ ARC forum 2 ]

Surgical procedures including dorsal slit

Written by Paul B. at 18 Jan 2003 06:00:03:

As an answer to: Re: Just had surgical procedure, dorsal slit written by 28/F at 18 Jan 2003 03:44:38:

> Why would they do a spinal anesthesia for a dorsal slit?

It's quick and easy, and very effective. It numbs the whole area, so the patient feels nothing - if it works that is!

Aside: They were using one for a hernia repair this week, and each time the fellow was pinched with toothed tweezers to "test" it, he reacted, so after a few minutes we were getting a bit sick of it, the anaesthetist just changed to a "general" and off we went! This is not an entirely uncommon occurrence.

> Paul- is this common practice?

Ummm, yep! In fact, a spinal (or actually, a "caudal" block which is done through the spinal end opening just above the tailbone) is pretty much standard for circumcisions - in children, this has to be done after intravenous sedation (or gas induction) of course, but again, it is quick and effective, and as this fellow indicates, it has the tremendous advantage of providing continuing analgesia for many hours.

> Spinals are serious stuff! I had one when I had knee surgery.

Do be careful to distinguish spinal anaesthesia (anaesthetic goes directly into the thecal sac, in other words into the space containing the actual spinal cord), from epidural anaesthesia which is a more demanding (slow to perform) procedure using a larger needle and which deposits anaesthetic around the dural sac so it anaesthetises not the spine, but the individual nerves as they leave the spine. Though it sounds (and actually is) more invasive, a "spinal" generally has fewer complications.

> I would much rather have a needle in my privates than in my back

Men may see it differently! Overall, the administration of the spinal is undoubtedly less painful. However the idea of a needle in the back certainly gives me the creeps too.

> ... not to mention the wearing off effects...and trying to pee again the first time ...

This fellow is obviously a lot younger than you or I, so it probably did not worry him so much. Certainly older fellows may need to be - and often are - catheterised in advance.


Answers: