We use local anesthetics in surgical procedures to block sensations of pain from such areas of the body as the arms, legs, and abdomen. Regional anesthesia is increasingly used in such surgical areas as orthopaedics, vascular, and gynecology due to the development of ultrasound-guided placement techniques, and the use of catheters for delivery of continuous local anesthesia. Our specialists are trained in ultrasound, nerve stimulation, and landmark-guided peripheral nerve blocks using both single injection and continuous catheter techniques. We offer pain management and care in two areas: an inpatient Acute Pain Service (APS) and the outpatient Center for the Assessment and Management of Pain (CAMP). Our APS specialists offer care for postsurgical pain, pain from chronic medical conditions, cancer pain, and various chronic pain syndromes in adults and children. Our CAMP team focuses on the assessment and management of a wide variety of painful conditions not related to the spine or cancer. For patients with chronic pain, we incorporate primary care, psychiatry, pain psychology, neurology, neurosurgery, and physical and occupational therapy services into our treatment. For patients in the hospital, we utilize a variety of pain relief medication approaches and delivery pathways (including oral, topical, transdermal, patient-controlled analgesia [PCA], and intravenous), as well as interventional therapies, such as regional anesthetic blocks, to optimize pain control. We also strive to incorporate alternative methods in treating pain whenever applicable, such as the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). For outpatients, we specialize in the management of pain related to: Spinal stenosis Disk disease Radiculopathy Facet arthropathy Spondylosis, spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis Post-laminectomy syndrome Cervicogenic headaches Sacroiliac joint dysfunction Piriformis syndrome Hip dysfunction Neuropathic and myofascial pain syndromes For spine-related pain, our comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to treatment includes a wide variety of oral, topical, and transdermal medications; TENS units; and advanced interventions carried out in our procedure suite. At this facility, which is equipped with fluoroscopy and ultrasound, we offer epidural steroid injections, sacroiliac and other joint injections, bursa injections, piriformis injections, trigger point injections, facet medial branch blocks, radiofrequency ablation procedures, peripheral nerve injections, sympathetic blocks, and spinal cord stimulation. For patients with cancer, we offer a cancer pain treatment program atSmilow Cancer Hospital. These treatments include the latest interventions, such as various types of nerve blocks using advanced image guidance and implantable drug delivery systems to treat patients with a variety of cancers at different stages in their cancer care.

Our providers are dedicated to providing anesthesia care to patients in the following subspecialty surgical areas: Pre-admission testing:We review what testing is necessary for patients prior to surgery. Our section collaborates with biomedical imaging specialists and the Department of Laboratory Medicine to reduce the costs of unnecessary tests. Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) anesthesia:We provide state-of-the-art care for our patients and perform preoperative endoscopic exams. Orthopaedic anesthesia:We routinely care for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery, as well as elderly adults suffering from severe co-existing cardiovascular or pulmonary diseases. As an alternative to a general anesthetic, many procedures for orthopaedic patients may be better managed with regional (local) anesthesia or with combined regional/general anesthetic techniques. Our anesthesiologists are familiar with such regional anesthetic procedures as spinal, epidural, and major nerve blocks, as well as other anesthetic techniques, such as fiber optic intubation for complex airway problems and special patient positioning to avoid intraoperative nerve injury. Transplant anesthesia:Our specialized group works closely with the multispecialty transplant team to care for pediatric and adult cardiac, liver, and kidney transplant recipients.

The Yale Medicine Department of Anesthesiology is a national leader in its field, and is dedicated to providing the highest quality anesthesia care to both children and adults. We provide pain management care to patients before, during, and after surgery, and work in a variety of clinical and specialty areas. We care for patients undergoing a wide range of procedures, whether they are healthy or gravely ill. We are committed to providing cutting-edge, safe, and short-acting anesthetic medications to patients. Our expert care teams include certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), APRNs, PAs, RNs and technicians, and specialist physicians. In our clinical research, we focus on developing technologies to improve patient safety and reduce perioperative care costs. Our translational research efforts are particularly strong in areas of regenerative medicine and vascular engineering. Our comprehensive care includes: Consulting with surgeons, providing pain control, and monitoring life functions during surgery Ambulatory care anesthesia Anesthesia for procedures outside the operating room (catheterization, CT scan, MRI, interventional radiology, neuroradiology) Cardiac anesthesia (including assist devices) Presurgical evaluation Supervising care after surgery Comprehensive inpatient and outpatient pain management Pediatric anesthesia and pain management Regional (local) anesthesia Adult pre-admission testing facilities Pediatric pre-admission testing service 24/7 in-house obstetrics coverage, and outpatient high-risk consultations