let me buzz...
Injecting a small quantity of this colourless liquid into someone's back leads to a tingling tryst for the patient and fun for the anaesthetist. Welcome to the realm of sub arachnoid block or the colloquial spinal!
Being trained in patient care both preop and postoperative, we freshers were taught about the different aspects of the spinal world in quite mystique detail. Before being trained to needle a patient's spine, explaining the procedure to the subject in lay man terms proved quite arduous. " You will be made to lie down on your side crouched with your legs tucked in and head flexed. A tiny prick to your spine and u will loose all sensation on the lower half of your body for a short while" is what we intend to profer. This is how a brand new fresher did it..
"Tumhe littake peet me sui chubaayenge. Usse tumhe lakwa padega, operation ho jaayega". In grotesque parlance it meant, " With you lying down,we will prick your spine. you will get paralysed and the surgical procedure shall be completed!."
We last heard that the poor patient with inguinal hernia scooted from the OT complex because he preferred a lump to a limp, anytime!
Preoperative cacophony set aside, the actual procedure involved ceremonious steps being done exactly as told. A brand new way of holding a forceps to dipping guaze rolls in eerie smelling liquids in the name of antiseptics and sterilizing agents to promote asepsis all seemed new to us. The obligatory cleaning and draping done,a spinal needle in hand, i set about finding an elusive spinal canal in the roly poly waist of a plump lady who i must confess took a lot of effort to get on the table. Prick and the needle went it, little by little. Think i hit something... the technician helping me quips cynically.."daactar saab, abhi dilli dhoor hai, aage jaao!" Some more millimeters later,i finally needled the elusive water front and proceded to inject the anesthetic agent. My consultant asks me in a husky voice,"how much will you inject?" Calculating the dose per kg and as per the surgical requirement, i say ,"2.5 ml,sir?". He says, "hmm... no, inject 2.4 ml". A difference of 0.1 ml in a 5 ml syrinje, are u kidding me?!" Guessomatics galore, the prescribed precise volume is injected and the patient placed supine for the drug to take effect.
Religious prods with a blunt needle counted by the dozen and an ounce of patience (which seemed to have gone into oblivion) later, our lady got her lump removed without much ado.
Till the spinal canal conjures up more patient friendly ways to anesthetize itself, here is me needle in hand, wishing that you get the esteemed privilege of being my subject for experimentation!
Have fun!
