Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Jul 1993
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialFavorable effects of epidural analgesia on hemodynamics, oxygenation and metabolic variables in the immediate post-anesthetic period.
Fourteen adult patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery were divided into two groups. One group received epidural and general anesthesia (epidural group), and 20 ml of 0.125% bupivacaine and 2 mg of morphine were administered epidurally about 30 min before the end of the operation for post-anesthetic analgesia. The other group (control group) received general anesthesia alone with nitrous oxide, oxygen and enflurane. ⋯ We conclude that the surgical stress and anesthetic reversal may seriously influence neuroendocrine responses and subsequently increase plasma epinephrine. Tissue oxygenation and metabolic imbalance may occur due to the rapid increase of epinephrine in the post-anesthetic recovery period. Epidural analgesia at this period may play a more important role and have a more favorable effect on the tissue metabolism.