Thoracic epidural versus intravenous patient-controlled analgesia after cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial on length of hospital stay and patient-perceived quality of recovery.
BACKGROUND
Perioperative thoracic epidural analgesia reduces stress response and pain scores and may improve outcome after cardiac surgery. This prospective, randomized trial was designed to compare the effectiveness of patient-controlled thoracic epidural analgesia with patient-controlled analgesia with intravenous morphine on postoperative hospital length of stay and patients' perception of their quality of recovery after cardiac surgery.


METHODS
One hundred thirteen patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were randomly assigned to receive either combined thoracic epidural analgesia and general anesthesia followed by patient-controlled thoracic epidural analgesia or general anesthesia followed by to patient-controlled analgesia with intravenous morphine. Postoperative length of stay, time to eligibility for hospital discharge, pain and sedation scores, degree of ambulation, lung volumes, and organ morbidities were evaluated. A validated quality of recovery score was used to measure postoperative health status.


RESULTS
Length of stay and time to eligibility for hospital discharge were similar between the groups. Study groups differed neither in postoperative global quality of recovery score nor in five dimensions of quality of recovery score. Time to extubation was shorter (P < 0.001) and consumption of anesthetics was lower in the patient-controlled thoracic epidural analgesia group. Pain relief, degree of sedation, ambulation, and lung volumes were similar between the study groups. There was a trend for lower incidences of pneumonia (P = 0.085) and confusion (P = 0.10) in the patient-controlled thoracic epidural analgesia group, whereas cardiac, renal, and neurologic outcomes were similar between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In elective cardiac surgery, thoracic epidural analgesia combined with general anesthesia followed by patient-controlled thoracic epidural analgesia offers no major advantage with respect to hospital length of stay, quality of recovery, or morbidity when compared with general anesthesia alone followed by to patient-controlled analgesia with intravenous morphine.
Hansdottir
Vigdis
V
Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Philip
Julia
J
Olsen
Monika Fagevik
MF
Eduard
Christina
C
Houltz
Erik
E
Ricksten
Sven-Erik
SE
D000368:Aged; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013147:Spirometry; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D009020:Morphine; D005283:Fentanyl; D002045:Bupivacaine