What is total spinal anesthesia

Total spinal anesthesia does not mean local anesthesia performed on a certain part of the body during a certain operation, but rather the anesthetic effect caused by a large amount of anesthetic mistakenly injected into the subarachnoid space. Generally, after total spinal anesthesia, cardiac arrest may occur, and we must fully understand this. So, what is total spinal anesthesia? Let’s take a closer look at it below.

Total spinal anesthesia is mainly caused by the mistaken injection of a large amount of local anesthetic into the subarachnoid space, causing blockade of the entire spinal cord including the spinal nerve roots, resulting in respiratory and cardiac arrest. Prevention should focus on strengthening regular operations, insisting on using test doses, and closely observing changes in the patient's blood pressure, respiration, and anesthesia level after administration. Once total spinal anesthesia occurs, oxygen should be given immediately and artificial respiration should be performed through endotracheal intubation. At the same time, vasopressors should be used to maintain blood pressure. If the heart stops beating, external cardiac massage should be performed immediately. If it can be discovered and rescued in time, there will usually be no serious consequences.

Total spinal anesthesia is the most serious complication of epidural anesthesia. It is mainly caused by the puncture needle accidentally entering the subarachnoid space during epidural puncture without being discovered. Because the amount of local anesthetic required for epidural block is much greater than that for subarachnoid anesthesia, an excessive amount of local anesthetic injected enters the subarachnoid space and causes total spinal anesthesia. The patient may experience respiratory arrest, low blood pressure, or even loss of consciousness within a few minutes. If not discovered in time or improperly treated, the patient may suffer cardiac arrest. Total spinal anesthesia is the most serious complication of epidural anesthesia.

Once total spinal anesthesia occurs, artificial respiration should be performed immediately, infusion should be accelerated, and vasopressors should be injected intravenously to maintain normal blood pressure. If cardiac arrest occurs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed immediately. Preventive measures include aspirating the epidural catheter to ensure that there is no reflux of cerebrospinal fluid before injecting the drug; first give a test dose of 3 to 5 ml and observe for 5 to 10 minutes. If there is no sign of local anesthetic being accidentally injected into the subarachnoid space, continue injecting the drug.

The above is an introduction to what total spinal anesthesia is. I hope it will help you understand. Total spinal anesthesia is a relatively serious complication. Once this symptom occurs, it must be given sufficient attention. It is best to go to a regular hospital for a comprehensive diagnosis, and then take routine care measures to try to cure the total spinal anesthesia as soon as possible.