Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Anestesia local
Local anesthesia (LOH-kul A-nes-THEE-zhuh)
A temporary loss of feeling in one small area of the body caused by special drugs or other substances called anesthetics. The patient stays awake but has no feeling in the area of the body treated with the anesthetic.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.