title: Thoracic epidural anesthesia for off-pump coronary artery bypass without intubation.
abstract: Thoracic epidural anesthesia without intubation was used in 10 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery reconstruction performed through median sternotomy. Considering the preoperative finding of impaired pulmonary function, all were moderate-risk patients for surgery using conventional general anesthesia with intubation. All patients had an uneventful postoperative course. In indicated cases, we regard thoracic epidural anesthesia as a suitable method again modifying the term "minimally invasive" in cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Kralovske Vinohrady University Hospital, Srobarova 50, CZ-100 34 Prague 10, Czech Republic. vanek@fnkv.cz
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vanek
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Straka
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brucek
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Widimsky
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods*; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000601:surgery; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013147:Spirometry; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery