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| Brian D. Sites, MD | |
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Anesthesiology Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Lebanon, NH |
The Department of Anesthesiology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center is proud to offer a comprehensive nerve block and Acute Pain Service. This service offers patients the opportunity to have long acting nerve blocks which can reduce or eliminate pain following a wide variety surgeries. In addition, nerve blocks can act as the sole anesthetic for many different procedures in which the patient wishes to avoid general anesthesia. The Nerve Block Team at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center uses the latest in advanced technology to perform nerve blocks. We are one of a handful of centers which uses high resolution ultrasound to visualize the various nerves in the body. With the ability to visualize key internal structures, we can safely, gently, and rapidly perform nerve blocks prior to or following surgery. Technically speaking, a nerve block means that an anesthesiologist, using either ultrasound or electrical stimulation, identifies a nerve that is involved in pain transmission. Next, a numbing medication is then deposited near this nerve, which numbs it for between 6 and 36 hours. The actual duration of the nerve block depends on many factors. The reason to get a nerve block is to reduce or eliminate postoperative pain, which then allows for the reduction in the use of other pain medications such as narcotics. These medications have side effects such as nausea and vomiting. Our ultimate mission here at DHMC is to provide a recovery from surgery that is with minimal pain and side effects. We believe that nerve blocks help to achieve this goal. http://www.dhmc.org/webpage.cfm?site_id=2&org_id=98&morg_id=0&sec_id=0&gsec_id=2410&item_id=2410
Ultrasound Images: