Orthopedic Anesthesia In Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Trinity Medical Associates provides comprehensive and specialized anesthesia care for patients undergoing orthopedic procedures. We consider ourselves experts and leaders in orthopedic anesthesiology.  Compared to other anesthesia groups in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, we have the most experience and utilize the latest techniques for orthopedic surgery and ultrasound guided nerve blocks.  Many of us also have specialty certifications (fellowships) in nerve blocks. We work with excellent and well-regarded orthopedic surgeons here in Dallas and Fort Worth.  Many of our patients are very satisfied with our orthopedic anesthesia care and value having a nerve block administered by properly trained specialists.

All anesthesiologists with Trinity Medical Associates have extensive training and experience in nerve blocks, also called regional anesthesia. Nerve blocks are frequently used in orthopedic surgery.  Regional anesthesia is a technique that “numbs up” or anesthetizes a specific location of the body, which is commonly referred to as a nerve block.  Before having orthopedic surgery, many patients have the option to receive a nerve block administered prior to surgery. In most cases, a nerve block provides patients with the best possible anesthesia by utilizing the latest techniques in anesthesiology.

There are numerous and well documented benefits with nerve blocks.  In addition to substantially reduced pain after surgery, patients who receive nerve blocks with surgery have less nausea, higher satisfaction scores, less blood loss, and recover more quickly after surgery. There is also a reduced risk of serious medical complications, such as heart attack or stroke.  For further information regarding nerve blocks, please see our page specifically on nerve blocks.

A nerve block is ideal for orthopedic surgeries because most procedures are done on a leg or arm/shoulder, which are highly effective locations for nerve blocks. Our anesthesiologists can even administer a nerve block prior to surgery to limit pain up to 72 hours post-surgery, which enables multiple benefits to the patient. All of Trinity Medical Associates’ anesthesiologists work closely with your orthopedic surgeon to optimize the perioperative care given to patients in Dallas and Fort Worth.

There are many types of orthopedic surgeries and not every type warrants a nerve block. In this case, Trinity Medical Associates works with you and your surgeon to present the best options for surgery. This may include a specialized pain control regimen consisting of a multi-modal low opioid approach.

An orthopedic anesthesiologist is used for many types of surgeries. The most common orthopedic procedures for a nerve block are as follows:

• Total Knee Replacement
• ACL Reconstruction Surgery and MPFL Repair Surgery
• Rotator Cuff Repair
• Biceps Repair
• Triceps Repair
• Shoulder Replacement
• Ankle and Foot Surgery
• Achilles Tendon Repair
• Clavicle Fracture
• Arm Fractures (humerus, radius, ulnar)
• Leg Fractures (femur, tibia, fibula)

Some benefits of a Nerve Block are:

• Patients who receive a nerve block don’t feel as much pain and therefore usually require less of the “heavier” medications used in general anesthesia.  This can result in fewer medication side effects such as oversedation, nausea, vomiting, and confusion (post-operative cognitive dysfunction).
• Patients who receive a nerve block report being more satisfied with  their surgical experience
• Patients may continue to breathe on their own and may not require assistance from a ventilator.
• Patients commonly wake up from sedation quicker and feel less residual effects of anesthetics.
• Some types of nerve block provide pain relief well after the surgery is over. This can reduce the need for opioids pain medications.
• In certain types of surgery patients experience reduced stress response, less blood loss, and a lower incidence of developing blood clots after the operation.
• When the nerve block is administered before surgery, there is evidence this can have the beneficial effect of lowering the chance of surgical infection.