A Comparative Study on Epidural Fentanyl, Bupivacaine, Lidocaine, and Intravenous Fentanyl in Patients Undergoing Gastrectomy under General Anesthesia

Lee, Hae Weon; Kim, Hai Ja

Abstract

Backgronud : Postoperative pain control became anesthesiologist's familiar yield, so many anesthesiologists are very interested in opioid and local anesthetic's characterestics and there cardiovascular effects. It's important which anesthetic has the best pain killing and the least cardiovascular effect. We used epidural opioid and local anesthetics and intravenous opioid to investigate their pain killing and cardiovascular effects.
METHODS
We studied 50 patients undergoing gastrectomy. An epidural catheter was placed via the T8-9 or L1-2 interspace. Epidural fentanyl group (Ep-F) received fentanyl 2 microgram/kg in 10ml saline, epidural bupivacaine group (Ep-B), 10 ml 0.25% bupivacaine, and epidural lidocaine group (Ep-L), 10 ml 1.5% lidocaine, epidurally; intravenous fentanyl group (IV-F) received fentanyl, 2 microgram/kg. 50% of the original dose was repeated every hour until the operation ended. Control group was given nothing before general anesthesia. Cardiovascular data was compared between those before and those at 1hour after skin incision. The time interval between end of the operation and the time of first analgesic requirement and the total number of intramuscular analgesic requirements during the first 48hours postoperatively were compared.
RESULTS
Urinary output during surgery was significantly larger in group Ep-F. Group Ep-L developed more frequent episodes of hypotension. Group Ep-F, group IV-F and control group required higher enflurane concentrations.
CONCLUSIONS
Group Ep-F was accompanied less hypotension and postoperative analgesic requirements were reduced.