Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 5/1/2009

Question
I recently emailed you about my husband who was having inquinal hernia surgery with MAC and local. He had the surgery yesterday and before surgery the anesthesiologist
came in to ask him some questions. When he was finished, I
asked if my husband would feel anything and he said he might feel the stinging and burning when the local was administered. They gave him an amnestic so he didn't  remember anything, however I didn't realize he was going to experience any pain during the surgery. Is this normal?

Answer
As you said, he didn't remember anything! Whenever you get local anesthetic, it can burn (think of the dentist's office). If the local is given slowly, sometimes you don't feel it but this is a normal effect. The amnesia is normal and expected. He didn't have any pain during the surgery, the local is given right before surgery and within a minute, everything is numb.

Ronald Levy, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston