Anesthesia for foot surgery

Anesthesia is using medicines to prevent pain during procedures and surgery. It is an essential service to provide patients with comfort during surgery and the depth of the anesthesia range from local numbing of the procedure site to general anesthesia. Here are the key differences:

Local Anesthesia

This is where the patient receives an injection around the area that needs to be numb. Most people associate local anesthesia with dental work where you are fully awake but are numb in a small area. In podiatry, local anesthesia is used for procedures such as removing an ingrown toenail, removing a retained foreign body, removing a soft tissue mass or cyst, an incision & drainage of an abscess, hammertoe or bunion correction to name a few. Common local anesthesia agents include lidocaine and bupivacaine. There are many others. The surgeon is often the person providing the injection.

IV Sedation

The next level of pain prevention is IV sedation, which means an intravenous line (IV) is inserted into your vein while the medication enters your blood stream controlled by an anesthesiologist or certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). This is also called twilight sleep where you are aware of what’s going on around you but feel more relaxed and at ease. Just like the moment before falling asleep, you know what’s going on but are not as reactive. This is the most common type of anesthesia for elective foot and ankle surgeries.

General Anesthesia

The deepest level of anesthesia is called general anesthesia. This is where the you will be completely asleep and is associated with having a tube down the throat to assist with breathing. This is the most relaxed state for pain prevention, and it also relaxes your breathing muscles which is why you’ll be closely monitored throughout the process by the anesthesiologist or CRNA.

The type of anesthesia your surgeon or anesthesiologist will offer depends on what procedure is being performed, your medical history and preference. Generally speaking, many elective foot surgeries can be performed under local anesthesia if you are able to sit still for an hour in the procedure chair. For those with anxiety, need to take frequent bathroom breaks, need to move around a lot, or prefer to not know what’s going on then the other options are available.

If you have concerns about the different level of anesthesia, speak with your surgeon to understand what is appropriate in your case. Your surgeon will ultimately know what the safest option is for your situation.

If you need to undergo a foot & ankle procedure and want to know what your options are, request an appointment with Dr. Tea.