local anesthesia

noun

: loss of sensation in a limited and usually superficial area produced especially by an anesthetic affecting only a part of the body

This procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia, and can be done by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon on an outpatient basis.

—Consumer Reports

compare general anesthesia

local anesthetic noun

More than 60 percent of American women choose relief in the form of an epidural, a combination of local anesthetic and narcotic administered into the epidural space surrounding the spinal cord.

—Melinda Wenner Moyer

Examples of local anesthesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Electrophysiology test: This procedure is done under local anesthesia. —Carisa Brewster, Verywell Health, 12 Sep. 2024

This procedure is performed in a cosmetic surgeon’s office under local anesthesia and requires about one to two days of recovery. —Sherri Gordon, Health, 15 Aug. 2024

In some cases, your healthcare provider may use local anesthesia around the needle site to make the procedure painless. —Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 8 Aug. 2024

The Florida health department investigation found that Hillary Brown prepared her own IV bags of local anesthesia for her surgeries, which included arm liposuction, abdominal scar revision, lip injections, and an ear adjustment. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 21 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

local anesthesia

noun

: loss of sensation in a limited and usually superficial area especially from the effect of a local anesthetic