J Bone Joint Surg Br
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J Bone Joint Surg Br · Nov 2004
Is epidural anaesthesia acceptable at total hip arthroplasty? A study of the rates of urinary catheterisation.
Epidural anaesthesia, with and without opiate, is widely used in total hip arthroplasty (THA). It may cause urinary retention, leading to catheterisation, and a subsequent increase in the likelihood of deep infection. ⋯ The post-operative rate of catheterisation was 14.7% in those who received general anaesthesia alone and 13.3% in those who received both. Our findings suggest that the rate of post-operative urinary catheterisation does not increase when general anaesthesia is supplemented by epidural anaesthesia using fentanyl and bupivicaine.