Local Anesthesia - Solution to Pain : An Overview

Abstract

Local anesthetics have been used clinically for more than a century, but new insights into their mechanisms of action and their interaction with biological systems continue to surprise researchers and clinicians alike. Local anesthetics must traverse several tissue barriers to reach their site of action on neuronal membranes. In particular, the perineurium is a major rate-limiting step. Previously it was assumed that patients are rarely allergic to local anesthetic agents, but variation in individual patient’s response to local anesthetics is larger than previously assumed .adjuncts available to block sensory nerver are there, but these typically also prolong motor block.