The Korean journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · Apr 2011
Thoracic Epidural Anesthesia and Analgesia (TEA) in Patients with Rib Fractures.
We analyzed the results of surgical reduction and fixation of ribs under thoracic epidural anesthesia and analgesia (TEA) in patients who had no more than 3 consecutive rib fractures with severe displacement to examine the clinical usefulness of this method. ⋯ Thoracic epidural anesthesia and analgesia (TEA) may positively affect cardiopulmonary function in the perioperative period. Moreover, this technique leads to an earlier return of gastrointestinal function and early ambulation without severe postoperative complications, resulting in a shortened hospital stay and lowered costs.