Is epidural anaesthesia acceptable at total hip arthroplasty? A study of the rates of urinary catheterisation.
Epidural anaesthesia, with and without opiate, is widely used in total hip arthroplasty (THA). It may cause urinary retention, leading to catheterisation, and a subsequent increase in the likelihood of deep infection. We investigated prospectively the rate of urinary catheterisation in patients after THA performed under general anaesthesia, with or without peri-operative fentanyl and bupivacaine opiate epidural anaesthesia. Of 173 patients, 75 received general anaesthesia alone and 98 both general and epidural management. The post-operative rate of catheterisation was 14.7% in those who received general anaesthesia alone and 13.3% in those who received both. Our findings suggest that the rate of post-operative urinary catheterisation does not increase when general anaesthesia is supplemented by epidural anaesthesia using fentanyl and bupivicaine.
Macdowell
A D
AD
Department of Orthopaedics, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, England.
Robinson
A H N
AH
Hill
D J
DJ
Villar
R N
RN
D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000379:methods*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D005283:Fentanyl; D002045:Bupivacaine