Non-analgesic uses of regional anesthetic blocks: A minireview

Non-analgesic properties of regional nerve blocks aid in the management of symptoms or diseases which are difficult to cure by conventional methods. Nerve blocks are one of the major analgesic modalities in the management of surgical patients. The non-analgesic effects of nerve block effects has been being explored in recent times. We have postulated systematically the non-analgesic benefits of different nerve block techniques and their mechanism of nerve block in management of multisystem diseases or symptoms. Diseases that are managed by non-analgesic effects of nerve blocks include postoperative cognitive dysfunction, posttraumatic stress disorder, postoperative nausea and vomiting, refractory arrhythmias, heart failure, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, postoperative pulmonary complications and immune function.