A U G U S T 2 0 1 6 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 1 3
Anesthesiologists are essential to the
success of the joint replacement pro-
cedures performed at Andrews
Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center in
Gulf Breeze, Fla. "Their abilities to pro-
vide consistent regional blocks let me
do what I do," says Chris O'Grady, MD,
a shoulder specialist at Andrews ASC.
Anesthesiologist Greg Hickman, MD,
the center's medical director, breaks
down the techniques his team employs
to ensure patients are ready for same-
day discharge.
• Shoulders.
Interscalene blocks
numb the anterior approach to the joint
preferred by Andrews ASC's surgeons
and pain pumps infuse 4 cc of pain
medication an hour.
• Ankles. Sciatic and saphenous
catheters, which attach to a single pain
pump with dual tubing, "cover the area
so well, that's typically all we have to
do," says Dr. Hickman.
All shoulder and ankle patients are
prescribed Vicodin (hydrocodone) and
Demerol (meperidine) to control break-
through pain and Phenergan (promet-
hazine) to control post-op nausea. The
center's anesthesiologists call patients
the day after surgery to assess their
pain levels and often find they don't
need pain pumps beyond 4 days
post-op.
• Knees. Keeping patients comfort-
able following knee replacement sur-
gery requires a multimodal approach: a
general anesthetic, a single-shot
femoral block and an adductor canal
catheter to spare the quadriceps mus-
cles. Patients typically regain quad func-
• LEAD BLOCK Anesthesiologist Gregory Hickman, MD,
uses ultrasound to pinpoint the precise placement of a
regional block.
ANESTHESIA ASSIST
Regional Anesthesia
Key to Total Joint Success
Andrews
Institute
ASC
