Spinal versus epidural anesthesia for transurethral resection of the prostate.
OBJECTIVE
To compare spinal versus epidural anesthesia for transurethral resection of the prostate.


METHODS
A total of 65 patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate between September 1996 and March 1997, from the King Hussein Medical Centre, Amman, Jordan, were enrolled in this study.


RESULTS
Epidural anesthesia was successful in 30 patients using an initial dose of 15 ml of 0.5% bupivicaine; whereas spinal anesthesia was successful in 32, using 2.5 ml of 0.5% bupivicaine. Sensory blockade at the level of T8 was similar in both techniques as were hypotension and postoperative hemorrhage. Differences occurred in the degree of motor blockade with a mean Bromage of 1 in the spinal group versus 3.8 in the epidural group (p <0.05). Maximum cephalic spread was achieved in 13 minutes in the spinal group versus 21 minutes in the epidural group (p<0.05), and the dose of propofol required to produce adequate hypnosis was 1.95 mg/kg/hour in the spinal group versus 2.8 mg/kg/hour in the epidural group (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Spinal anesthesia proved to be superior to epidural anesthesia by providing lower incidence of patient movement.
Jayousi
N A
NA
Department of Anesthesia, King Hussein Medical Centre, PO Box 926733, Amman, Jordan.
D000368:Aged; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D011336:Probability; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D020728:Transurethral Resection of Prostate / Q000379:methods*