Spinal anesthesia
Subarachnoid anesthesia
Spinal anesthesia (or spinal anesthesia), also called spinal analgesia, spinal block or subarachnoid block (SAB), is a form of regional anesthesia involving injection of a local anesthesia into the subarachnoid space, generally through a fine needle, usually 9 cm long (3.5 inches). For extremely obese patients longer needles are available (12.7 cm / 5 inches). The tip of the spinal needle has a point or small bevel. Recently, pencil point needles have been made available (Whitacre, Sprotte, Gertie Marx & others).
Spinal anesthesia is widely used for many obstetric, gynecological, orthopedic, and urological operations.