What is Spinal and Epidural Anesthesia?
With spinal and epidural (eh-pih-der-all) anesthesia you are numb from about the nipple line to the waist and down. How high the numbness goes depends on where your surgery will be. Tell your anesthesia caregiver if you or anyone in your family has ever had any problems with anesthesia. Remember to tell your anesthesia caregiver if you have ever had a very high temperature during or after surgery. Spinal and epidural anesthesia can be used for many kinds of surgeries or procedures such as having a hernia fixed. It may also be used when you have your appendix removed, or when you have a baby. Care: Before the surgery or procedure, you may be given medicine in your IV to make you feel sleepy and more relaxed. Caregivers will help you get comfortable on the operating room bed. Anesthesia caregivers will use machines to see how your body is doing. • Pulse oximeter: A pulse oximeter is a machine that tells how much oxygen is in your blood. A cord with a clip or sticky strip is placed on you
