title: Combined spinal and epidural anesthesia for open abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery in vigil patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ineligible for endovascular aneurysm repair. Analysis of results and description of the technique.
abstract: This study evaluated the feasibility of open infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery under peridural and spinal anesthesia (vigil patient) alone in high-risk patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ineligible for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) or open surgery in general anesthesia. Between January 2005 and July 2007, seven patients underwent open AAA surgery with combined spinal and epidural anesthesia ([CSEA] without intubation) alone. Regional abdominal anesthesia was established by spinal anesthesia at L2-3 (levobupivacaine plus fentanyl) associated with peridural anesthesia at T7-8 (levobupivacaine). In this series (6 males and 1 female) the average age was 76.5 years (70-87); the AAA measured 7 cm in diameter on average (range 6-12.2). The survival rate was 100% (7/7 patients) at 6-12 months postoperative; no morbidities occurred during the postoperative phase. Owing to the small size of the series, no statistically significant conclusions can be drawn; even so, repair surgery was found to be effective, without the occurrence of morbidities or mortalities. In high-risk patients (severe COPD), open surgical repair of infrarenal AAA may be done with CSEA alone without intubation when, because of the patient's health, general anesthesia would pose too high a risk or when EVAR is unfeasible. Furthermore, the authors believe that surgical AAA repair under CSEA in vigil patients is a valid treatment option in those subjects with a high operative risk (severe COPD) and untreatable by either open AAA surgery under general anesthesia or EVAR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac and Vascular Disease, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Unit, Mauriziano Umberto I Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berardi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fadde
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lojacono
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Viazzo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gaggiano
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maggio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ganzaroli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piazza
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cumbo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lamorgese
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verdecchia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nessi
mesh_terms: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D005283:Fentanyl; D002045:Bupivacaine