Survey of 1057 patients receiving postoperative patient-controlled epidural analgesia.
Data were collected from 1057 consecutive patients who received patient-controlled epidural analgesia for postoperative pain relief, using 0.1% bupivacaine with 5 microg x ml(-1) fentanyl in all cases. Prescriptions were not otherwise standardised. On the first postoperative day, 741/801 patients (92.5%) had adequate analgesia and 692/719 (96.2%) were free of nausea. During a total of 3858 treatment days, two patients (0.19%) had an episode of severe respiratory depression and one patient (0.09%) became unrousable. Hypotension occurred in 45 patients (4.3%). There were no cases of epidural haematoma or abscess. We conclude that a patient-controlled epidural analgesia service as described is both efficacious and safe for use on surgical wards.
Wigfull
J
J
Senior House Officer and Consultant in Anaesthesia, Northern General Hospital NHS Trust, Herries Road, Sheffield S5 7AU, UK.
Welchew
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D005283:Fentanyl; D002045:Bupivacaine