In an effort to add another weapon to the armament to treat pain after surgery without opioids, Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia is training advance practice nurses in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (USGRA), which creates a “nerve block.” The procedure uses local anesthetics to numb a specific area of the body before, during and after surgery, which effectively “blocks” pain signals from reaching the brain for the duration of the treatment. Often, the patient can take over-the-counter pain relievers rather than opioids soon after surgery. 

“Nerve blocks aren’t new, but we now have technology that makes them much safer, more effective and viable for a broader range of procedures than ever before,” said MTSA President Chris Hulin, CRNA, DNP.

Ultrasound technology is the \element in making the treatment more viable, providing visual guidance to pinpoint where the local anesthetic should be administered. Prior to USGRA, anesthesia providers had to rely solely on less accurate techniques, such as nerve stimulation. In one of the most innovative developments in nerve blocking treatment, anesthetics can be administered through a pump and catheter at home, providing continuous pain management for several days following surgery and allowing for less potent medications to manage pain once the local anesthetic treatment is completed.