• Ji-Can Lu, Chun-Shui Lin, Shi-Wei Liang, Jin-Fang Xiao, and Miao-Ning Gu.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Guangzhou Twelfth People's Hospital, Guangzhou 510620, China.
• Di Yi Jun Yi Da Xue Xue Bao. 2002 May 1; 22 (5): 453-5.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) with ropivacaine or bupivacaine in relieving pain after thymectomy in patients with myasthenia gravis.MethodsTwenty adult ASA I-II patients with myasthenia gravis were randomized to receive either 0.125% ropivacaine (Group R, n=10) or 0.125% bupivacaine (Group B, n=10) with a PCEA device after transsternal thymectomy. PCEA (continuous infusion at 1 ml/h, bolus dose of 4 ml and lockout time of 30 min) was implemented via an epidural catheter inserted in the T3-4 intervertebral space. The vital signs and visual analogue scale (VAS), together with cumulative consumption (CC) of ropivacaine or bupivacaine were recorded within 48 h postoperatively.ResultsThe vital signs, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, SpO2, pH and PaCO2, did not show any significant differences between the 2 groups. The CC of the local anesthetic was significantly higher in group R than that in group B at 24 and 48 h postoperatively, but VAS were not significantly different between the 2 groups which was less than 4 in both groups.ConclusionsPCEA with low concentration of ropivacaine or bupivacaine may provide effective and safe analgesia after transsternal thymectomy.

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