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Local anesthesia involves the injection of local anesthetic agents, but in smaller amounts than regional anethesia, to produce numbness only in the area where they are injected. Typically local anesthesia injection is performed by the surgeon for operations involving relatively small parts of the body. Breast biopsies, cataract operations, and hernia repairs are common examples of operations that can often be successfully accomplished with local anesthesia. Surgeons often request IV sedation and monitoring from anesthesia providers during operations under local anesthesia. In addition to these services, immediate access to general anesthesia is assured should it become necessary during the operation.
It should be noted that not every operation is feasible under local anesthesia. This is because local anesthetic drugs, like most drugs, have limitations with respect to their safe usage. Each drug has recommended a maximum dosage. If adequate numbness cannot be achieved within these guidelines then an alternative anesthesia plan such as general or regional anesthesia would be considered.
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