Longnecker's Anesthesiology > Part 4. Managing Anesthesia Care > Section D. Regional Anesthesia > Chapter 45. Incorporating Regional Anesthesia into Anesthetic Practice Richard W. Rosenquist, MD, and David L. Brown, MD

Key Points

"1. The one overriding benefit of regional anesthesia techniques is that they do not need to end as the patient leaves the operating room at the end of the intraoperative period.

2. The patient education process is most effective if started in the surgeon's office at the time of the visit at which the decision for operation is completed. Both the surgeon and the nurses need to understand the general concepts and goals of anesthesia and are often strong coadvocates of better perioperative analgesia for their patients.

3. The perioperative period should be designed so that regional anesthesia does not delay or slow down a surgical day. Surgical delay is one of the most important items to avoid if you desire to successfully add regional anesthetic techniques to your practice.

4. Regional anesthesia techniques should be selected and performed on the basis of clear indications so as to maximize benefit and minimize complications.

5. The preoperative anesthetic note should clearly outline that the patient has been informed of the risks and benefits of the entire anesthetic experience, including the regional anesthetic portion, if that is applicable to the patient.

6. Patients should have regional anesthetics performed in settings where full monitoring, resuscitation equipment, and supplies are..."