Korean J Anesthesiol.  2004 Apr;46(4):439-444. 10.4097/kjae.2004.46.4.439.

The Effect of the Thoracic Epidural Analgesia on Postoperative Pain and Pulmonary Function Recovery after Thoracoscopic Surgery

• Kim SH
• Han HC
• An TH
• So GY
• Lim KJ
• Jung JD
• Yoo BS

• KMID: 2299056
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2004.46.4.439

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The study was performed to evaluate the effect of the thoracic epidural analgesia on the postoperative pain and pulmonary function after thoracoscopic surgery.
METHODS
Postoperative pain control consisted of continuous thoracic epidural infusion of normal saline in group 1 (Control group) and 0.125% bupivacaine mixed with fentanyl 5microgram/ml in group 2 (TEA group) added in single intercostal nerve block patient in sixty patients who had undergone elective thoracoscopic surgery. The visual analogue scale (VAS), Prince-Henry score (PHS) and pulmonary function (FVC and FEV1) were measured preoperatively and postoperatively at 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 hours.
RESULTS
There were significant improvement of the degree of pain in both groups but TEA group was lower than control group during 48 hours except at postoperative 4 hours. Pulmonary function was decreased less and recovered faster in TEA group than control group during 48 hours (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Thoracic epidural analgesia added in single intercostal nerve block has a benefit on the recovery of the postoperative pulmonary function and also provide superior analgesia after thoracoscopic surgery when compared to single intercostal nerve block alone. The authors recommend thoracic epidural analgesia for patient undergoing thoracoscopic surgery who receive single intercostal nerve block.

Keyword

postoperative pain; pulmonary function; thoracic epidural analgesia; thoracoscopic surgery

MeSH Terms

Analgesia
Analgesia, Epidural*
Bupivacaine
Fentanyl
Humans
Intercostal Nerves
Pain, Postoperative*
Recovery of Function*
Tea
Thoracoscopy*
Bupivacaine
Fentanyl
Tea