A Comparison of Epidural 0.2% Ropivacaine Alone and 0.15% Ropivacaine with 150 microgram/ml Alfentanil for Postoperative Patient-Controlled Epidual Analgesia after Major Abdominal Surgery. |
Sung Mi Hwang, O Min Kwon, Jae Jun Lee, So Young Lim |
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea. 89hsm@medigate.net |
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Abstract |
BACKGROUND The lower levels of cardiotoxicity and motor block make ropivacaine well suited as an epidural infusion for postoperative analgesia. This study examined the analgesic efficacy of an epidural infusion of ropivacaine alone and in combination with alfentanil after major abdominal surgery. METHODS Thirty patients undergoing major abdominal surgery under general anesthesia were divided into two groups receiving patient-controlled thoracic epidural analgesia with 0.2% ropivacaine (Group I) and 0.15% ropivacaine +150 microgram/ml alfentanil (Group II). The motor block, side effects, VAS (visual analog pain scale) score on coughing and resting, additional analgesics use, and patient's satisfaction were checked for 24 hours after a loading dose injection. RESULTS The VAS score in group II was significantly lower than in group I, and the patients in group II were more satisfied than those in group I (P < 0.05). However, there were more side effects in group II. CONCLUSIONS Postoperative epidural infusion of 0.15% ropivacaine with 150 microgram/ml alfentanil is more effective than 0.2% ropivacaine only. |
Key Words:
alfentanil; patient-controlled epidual analgesia; ropivacaine |
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