Check out these advances in anesthesiaThe SonoSite MicroMaxx allows anesthesiologists to see the needles as they are delivering an injection. Photo courtesy of SonoSite.
You may have been putting off surgery on your knee or shoulder because you’ve heard that these procedures can be painful. But at The George Washington University Hospital, anesthesiologists are using two new technologies that are making surgery and the postoperative period much more comfortable.
“Both of these technologies are helping to control pain and avoid the grogginess and nausea that other techniques may cause,” says Paul Dangerfield, MD, Director of Clinical Anesthesia, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care. “They’re also enabling patients to return home faster than ever.”
ON-Q® Pain Relief System: The ON-Q pain pump is a small, balloon-like device that continuously delivers pain medication through a tiny tube to the nerves that trigger sensation at the surgical incision site for up to 72 hours, keeping the area numb. Patients can leave the hospital with the ON-Q in place, and when it’s empty, they can remove the tube and simply throw the device away.
SonoSite MicroMaxx®: To deliver a successful anesthetic injection, an anesthesiologist must position the needle so that the medication surrounds the nerve, but the needle does not hit the nerve or a blood vessel. The SonoSite MicroMaxx is a portable ultrasound device that allows anesthesiologists to see the nerves and surrounding tissue, allowing them to precisely target the injection. “The device makes giving anesthetic injections faster and safer,” says Dr. Dangerfield.
As seen in The George Washington University Hospital Health News Spring 2007. 
Print Page
