Magnets Used to Prevent Rare Spinal Anesthesia Complication

A simple technique using local anesthetic mixed with magnetized “ferrofluids” may offer a new approach to preventing a rare but serious complication of spinal anesthesia – that’s according to the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, the official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

With further research, the magnet technique may lead to a second means — in addition to gravity — of preventing “high spinal block,” which occurs when spinal anesthetics spread to the upper portions of the spinal cord. The preliminary studies were performed by Robert H. Thiele, MD, of University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in Charlottesville, Va. For more information, click here to read the full release.