Revisiting Local Anaesthesia Use in Regional Anaesthesia

Local anaesthetics (LA) play a pivotal role in the success of any regional anaesthesia procedure. LA blocks nerve impulse transmission in the peripheral and central nervous systems without causing central nervous system depression or altered mental status. The duration of action of LA can range from 30 min to 12 h or more. The range depends on the location of the block (e.g. high blood supply equals shorter duration), the specific local anaesthetic used, adjuvant used and its preparation. Hence, it’s imperative that we understand all about LA and their individual properties.