Does epidural sufentanil provide effective analgesia per- and postoperatively for abdominal aortic surgery?
To assess the efficacy of epidural sufentanil in providing per- and postoperative analgesia, 40 patients undergoing elective abdominal aortic surgery received either 50 mu g sufentanil in 10 ml normal saline solution (n = 20, ES group) or 10 ml normal saline (n = 20, control group) via a thoracic epidural catheter. The study solution was given (double-blind and at random) after the patients had been anaesthetized with i.v. midazolam, sufentanil and vecuronium. Anaesthesia was maintained with 60% nitrous oxide in oxygen and halothane at a 1% inspiratory concentration. When patients showed signs of inadequate analgesia, supplementary doses of 25 mu g sufentanil were given i.v. The number of patients requiring additional i.v. sufentanil differed significantly between the two groups: 5 out of 20 patients in the ES group vs 13 out of 20 patients in the control group required additional sufentanil (P<0.05). The mean dose administered i.v. did not differ significantly between the two groups: 105 +/- 109.5 mu g vs 138.5 +/- 126.9 mu g (mean +/- SD) in 5 and 13 patients, respectively. No cardiovascular changes were observed after the epidural bolus dose. Postoperative analgesia, consisting of a continuous epidural infusion of 50 mu g sufentanil in 50 ml bupivacaine 0.125% at a rate of 6-10 ml/h after a bolus dose of 10 ml of this solution, was adequate in the majority of patients, as determined by VAS-scores assessed during the epidural treatment (4.3 +/- 1.5 days).
Broekema
A A
AA
Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
Kuizenga
K
K
Hennis
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017409:Sufentanil / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D017409:Sufentanil