Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Anestesia regional
Regional anesthesia ( A-nes-THEE-zhuh)
A temporary loss of feeling or awareness in a part of the body, such as an arm or a leg, caused by special drugs or other substances called anesthetics. The patient stays awake but has no feeling in the part of the body treated with the anesthetic.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.