Regional anesthesia and analgesia is the favored mode of post-operative pain control available to patients at Stony Brook University Medical Center.  Patients who are eligible for epidural catheters, peripheral nerve blocks or catheters will have every opportunity to receive the appropriate ‘block’ either pre-operatively or post-operatively to make the recovery process as painless as possible.

Patients are educated about the benefits of these techniques initially by their surgeon and then by the anesthesiology staff in the Pre-Operative Services Center.  When patients present to the hospital and are taken to the pre-operative holding area, the Acute Pain Service will again present the risks, benefits and alternatives to regional anesthesia and analgesia to those we believe will benefit.  The regional A&A specialists on the service will then perform the appropriate nerve block prior to the patient being taken to the operating room allowing the patient the possibility of never being exposed to the pain of the operation.  Patients may also have general anesthesia administered, and, with an effective block in place, the amount of general anesthetic needed may be reduced.

Patients may be also receive a regional analgesic block post-operatively if they are experiencing uncontrolled pain  while in the recovery room.  Patients who are experiencing significant side effects from the pain medicines given or who had initially opted to not receive a pre-operative nerve block or epidural may also be eligible.

Patients are seen at least on a daily basis by the Acute Pain Service following their regional block or catheter placement.  The Service is continually dedicated to making the post-operative period as painless as possible to help patients recover and rehabilitate as best as possible.