Re-emerging Techniques in Anaesthesia

With modern medical infrastructure increasing the safety of surgical procedures, many anaesthesia techniques have been brought to mainstream practice from the archives. Most notable of these are segmental spinal anaesthesia and Bier block or intravenous regional anaesthesia. In the past, these techniques were not favoured due to increased side effects, meagre monitoring and safer alternatives. In the light of new research and advent of modern monitoring devices, these devices are re-emerging as acceptable alternatives to the existing techniques. Segmental spinal anaesthesia or thoracic spinal anaesthesia can be highly beneficial in patients in whom general anaesthesia is contraindicated. Likewise, Bier block can be utilised in emergency settings when and where situations might not be favourable for immediate general anaesthesia. Another such procedure that has gained its foothold in the cosmetic dermatosurgical procedures is tumescent anaesthesia. It has found application beyond fat removing surgeries and is now used for various other outpatient dermatological procedures including hair transplants. These techniques need to be included in the present-day curriculum to explore their use beyond what they were originally meant for.