Acta chirurgica Scandinavica
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Twelve patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy received as analgesic medication a single dose of methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg) preoperatively and thoracic epidural analgesia with plain bupivacaine for 48 hours + epidural morphine 4 mg and systemic indomethacin 100 mg, both every 8 hours for 96 hours. Assessments of pain, various parameters of response to injury, peak flow and subjective fatigue were made preoperatively, before and 3 and 6 hours after skin incision and 1, 2, 4 and 8 days postoperatively. ⋯ There were no side effects. These results may be explained by inhibition of various trauma-induced inflammatory mediators.