Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2021 July 13

Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

July 13

Amputation without general anaesthetic

In David Lange I read : On 2 August, he had his lower right leg amputated without a general anaesthetic, as a result of diabetes complications.

I'm not sure of the parsing. I understand that limb loss is a risk with diabetes, but are they saying his diabetes made it impossible or ill-advised for him to have a general anaesthetic for the operation? Is this a common circumstance, and what do they do to reduce the patient's pain? Local anesthetic? -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 02:32, 13 July 2021 (UTC)

All the answers seem to be in the cited source: "Mr Lange's poor health precluded general anaesthesia. Amputations without it were 'very, very rare' " and "he was sedated and given nerve blockers so he would feel no pain when his lower leg, the foot gangrenous as a result of diabetes, was removed below the knee." Meters (talk) 02:38, 13 July 2021 (UTC)

Better that than how they used to do amputations. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:05, 13 July 2021 (UTC)

Thanks. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 05:10, 13 July 2021 (UTC)

Nowadays the leg would be anaesthetised by an epidural injection. I know someone who had a hip replacement operation with an epidural anaesthesia and stayed awake throughout the op. No pain whatsoever was felt Richard Avery (talk) 09:48, 18 July 2021 (UTC)