Thoracic epidural anesthesia in cardiac surgical patients: a prospective audit of 2,113 cases.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to present an audit report of thoracic epidural anesthesia without permanent neurologic deficits in more than 2,000 patients undergoing cardiac surgery.


METHODS
A prospective audit of cases conducted over a 13-year period.


METHODS
Tertiary referral heart hospital.


METHODS
Two thousand one hundred thirteen patients over a period of 13 years.


METHODS
Epidural catheters were inserted at the C7 to T3 intervertebral space on the day before the operation in all patients; cardiac surgery was performed with or without cardiopulmonary bypass.


RESULTS
The authors did not encounter any permanent neurologic deficits in their series. The authors encountered 18 (0.85%) primary dural punctures and 4 cases (0.18%) of temporary neurologic deficits.


CONCLUSIONS
This series adds to the worldwide experience of the use of epidural analgesia concomitantly with anticoagulation in cardiac surgery without serious complications.
Chakravarthy
Murali
M
Wockhardt Heart Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. chakravarthy@vsnl.com
Thimmangowda
Patil
P
Krishnamurthy
Jayaprakash
J
Nadiminti
Shivananda
S
Jawali
Vivek
V
D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit / Q000639:trends; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae