Clinical Use of Local Anesthetics

Book excerpt: Local anesthetics are being increasingly applied in different surgeries. Lower side effects of neuroaxial anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and field block, in comparison to general anesthesia (volatile and intravenous agents), are the main reasons why physicians prefer to conduct surgeries under local anesthesia, especially in outpatient and day care surgeries. It is important to emphasize the presence of an anesthesiologist, and vigilant monitoring of the homodynamic parameters, in decreasing a patient's anxiety, exerting other modalities for analgesia and increasing the safety margin in many procedures.