title: Postoperative pain relief and hospital stay after total esophagectomy.
abstract: Intraoperative and postsurgical epidurally administered pain relief is associated with reduced morbidity. We reviewed the charts of 19 patients who had total esophagectomy to see whether the method of postoperative pain relief influenced the length of hospital stay and cost of the procedure. The patients received either intravenous (group M) or epidural (group E) morphine for postoperative pain. The length of stay in the intensive care unit was reduced by 2 1/2 days and total hospital stay by 7 days in the epidural group. This resulted in a saving of Canadian $12,770 per patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Smedstad
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Beattie
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Buckley
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003422:Critical Care; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011292:Premedication
chemical_list: D009020:Morphine