الفهرس 
Injuries Related to Regional AnesthesiaOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The anesthetized patient is at risk of injuries resulting from actions or inactions of anesthetist, also there is a risk of failure or malfunction of anesthesia equipment which may cause multiple injuries to the anesthetized patient ranging from lip injury during laryngoscopy upto cardiac arrest by electric shock.
During general anesthesia, any part or organ of the body can be injuried, but the most common injuries during general anesthesia are;
- Airway structures injuries which include dental, lip, pharyngeal, tangue, laryngeal, tracheal, and esophageal injuries.
- Malpositioning of generally anesthetized patient especially long operations may cause many injuries either by direct pressure on an organ as, skin and peripheral nerves or indirectly by interfering with its blood supply as, visceral ischemia and compartment syndrome, also there is some sort of respiratory and cardiovascular impairment as with sitting and trendlenberg positions.
- Cardiovascular system also may be injuried during general anesthesia mostly during cannulation, cannulation either peripheral or central may cause many injuries such as pain, hematomas, thrombosis, upto cardiac tamponade which may complicate central cannulations.
- Central Nervous System injuries are very rare and very dangerous as mostly causing permanent insult.
Although regional anesthesia is believed to be more safe than general anesthesia, but it has its own injuries which make it not safe as believed.
Neuroxial block which is a type of regional anesthesia may cause serious injuries as total spinal block, epidural hematoma and spinal cord injury, and may cause many less serious injuries as, radiculitis, headache, and backache.
Another type of regional anesthesia is “Peripheral Nerve Block” which is considered the most safe type of anesthesia especially if applied with ultrasonic guidance. The injuries which may occur with this type of anesthesia include: target nerve injury, neiboughring structure (vessel, pleura, lung,….etc) injury, and intravascular injection of local anesthetic.
Although operative room is the main site for the work of anesthetist, but it may become a source of patient injury as (hypoxemia, hypercapnea, electric shock, burns, fires and explosions) through either malfunction or maluse of its contents which include gas supply system, anesthesia machine, diathermy, and monitors. These contents must be checked out by the anesthetist before use, also anesthetist must be will educated and trained on these contents.
The transfer to the recovery ward may last for several minutes, and it is essential that the standard of observation does not diminish during this journey, as many injuries may occur during this period including hypoxia, aspiration, cardiovascular instability, and even falls from trolley which may cause any type of traumas to the patient.