WALANT Surgery is a technique that uses an infusion of local anesthetic in the surgical area approximately 1 hour before the procedure.  This allows for the solution to diffuse throughout the entire surgical area creating a very dense numb surgical field.  Because of this, the patient does not need to have a general anesthesia.  In addition to the numbing medicine, a small amount of epinephrine is mixed into the solution to constrict the blood vessels in that area.  This prevents bleeding during surgery and eliminates the need for a tourniquet to be used in orthopedic surgery.  The WALANT technique is very safe, the local medications are dosed based on the weight of the patient, sterile technique is followed for the injection and the patient is always monitored for any side effect. .  Because there is no general anesthesia given, there is less risk of anesthesia complications and there is no time in the recovery room!