Objective To compare the effect of intravenous and epidural analgesia on postoperative complications after abdominal and thoracic surgery. Methods A literature search was conducted by using computerized database on PubMed, EBSCO, Springer, Ovid, and CNKI from 1985 to Jan 2009. Further searches for articles were conducted by checking all references describing postoperative complications with intravenous and epidural anesthesia after abdominal and thoracic surgery. All included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were assessed and data were extracted by the standard of Cochrane systematic review. The homogeneous studies were pooled using RevMan 4.2.10 software. Results Thirteen RCTs involving 3 055 patients met the inclusion criteria. The results of meta-analyses showed that, a) pulmonary complications and lung function: patient-controlled epidural analgesia can significantly decrease the incidence of pneumonia (RR=0.66, 95%CI 0.53 to 0.83) and improve the FEV1 (WMD=0.17, 95%CI 0.05 to 0.29) and FVC (WMD=0.21, 95%CI 0.1 to 0.32) of lung function after abdominal and thoracic surgery, but no differences in decreasing postoperative respiratory failure (RR=0.77, 95%CI 0.58 to 1.02) and prolonged ventilation (RR=0.75, 95%CI 0.51 to 1.13) compared with intravenous analgesia; b) cardiovascular event: epidural analgesia could significantly decrease the incidence of myocardial infarction (RR=0.58, 95%CI 0.35 to 0.95) and arrhythmia (RR=0.64, 95%CI 0.47 to 0.88) than the control group, but could not better reduce the risk of heart failure (RR=0.79, 95%CI 0.47 to 1.34) and hypotension (RR=1.21, 95%CI 0.63 to 2.29); and c) Other complications: epidural and intravenous analgesia had no difference in decreasing the risk of postoperative renal insufficient (RR=0.78, 95%CI 0.53 to 1.14), gastrointestinal hemorrhage (RR=0.78, 95%CI 0.49 to 1.23), infection (RR=0.89, 95%CI 0.70 to 1.12) and nausea (RR=1.03, 95%CI 0.38 to 2.81). Conclusions Epidural analgesia can obviously decrease the risk of pneumonia, myocardial infarction and severe arrhythmia, and can improve the lung function after abdominal or thoracic surgery.
ObjectiveTo compare postoperative patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCIA) on maternal low back pain after caesarean section. MethodsSixty cases of American Society of Anesthesiology gradeⅠ-Ⅱ single-birth full-term elective caesarean delivery primiparae chosen between July to September 2012 were divided into 3 groups randomly, 20 in each group. Group A accepted sufentanil 1 μg/mL and ropivacaine 1 mg/mL PCEA; group B had sufentanil 1.5 μg/mL PCEA; group C was given sufentanil 1.5 μg/mL and ondansetron 0.16 mg/mL PCIA. Background dose was 2 mL/h, patient-controlled analgesia dose was 2 mL, and locking time was 20 min. Visual analogue pain score was used to assess the effect of postoperative analgesia, and we recorded analgesia pump usage, adverse reactions, and at the same time investigated the onset of maternal low back pain. ResultsNo obvious postoperative pain was found, and the analgesic effect was good in all the three groups, and the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). All three groups of women had a certain proportion of low back pain, and the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). After operation, group A had 5 cases of leg numbness, group B had 1, and group C had none. Leg numbness occurred significantly more in group A than in group B and C (P<0.05). Group B had one case of nausea and vomiting, while none occurred in group A and C (P>0.05). ConclusionWith the same effect of postoperative analgesia, compared with PCIA, PCEA does not increase postoperative low back pain incidence after caesarean section.
Objective To explore the effect of epidural analgesia for labor on maternal temperature and the newborns. Methods This randomized trial was performed in West China Second Hospital between December 2015 and July 2016. Fifty puerperants were randomly divided into epidural analgesia (EA) group (natural labor under EA, n=25) or the control group (natural labor using Ramaze breathing method, n=25). Maternal tympanic temperature was recorded once per hour after treating with painless labor or blank control. The serum interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) level were measured from the blood of the umbilical cord after the delivery. Apgar scores of the newborns were also recorded. Results There was a significant difference in the temperature between EA and control group one hour after the treatment of painless labor [ (36.9±0.7) and (36.4±0.5)℃]. The level of serum IL-1β and HSP70 were significantly higher in EA group [IL-1β: (0.308±0.036) ng/mL; HSP70: 1.175±0.196] than those in the control group [IL-1β: (0.244±0.031) ng/mL; HSP70: 0.935±0.308] (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was found in the neonatal Apgar score (P>0.05). Conclusions The increase of maternal temperature is greater in the EA labor puerperants compared with that in the controls, which may be related to the increase of IL-1β and HSP70. No adverse effect of labor analgesia on new borns is found
Objective To observe the effects of epidural anaesthesia (EA) and general anaesthesia (GA) on the changes of plasma epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Methods Thirty patients undergoing elective LC were randomly divided into GA group (n＝15) and EA group (n＝15). The concentrations of plasma NE and E were measured at the following phases: before anaesthesia, before introducing pneumoperitoneum, during pneumoperitoneum, and at the end of operation. Results In EA group, the concentrations of NE weren′t significantly different at each phase, the concentrations of E significantly increased before and during pneumoperitoneum (Ｐ＜0.05) and returned to the baseline at the end of operation (Ｐ＞0.05). In GA group, the concentrations of NE and E didn′t change significantly before pneumoperitoneum, but increased during pneumoperitoneum (Ｐ＜0.05) and E didn′t return to the baseline at the end of operation (Ｐ＜0.05). The E concentrations of EA group was higher than that of GA group before pneumoperitoneum, but the NE concentration of EA group was lower than that of GA group during pneumoperitoneum (Ｐ＜0.05). Conclusion Both groups has significant stress reaction, but the stress reaction of EA group is weaker than that of GA group during LC.
Objective To systematically evaluate the effect of epidural analgesia on prognosis after intestinal surgery. Methods Such databases as PubMed, EBSCO, Springer, Ovid and CNKI were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the effects of epidural analgesia on prognosis after intestinal surgery published from 1985 to 2010. The methodological quality of the included RCTs was assessed and the data was extracted according to the Cochrane Handbook, and then the meta-analyses were conducted by using RevMan 5.0 software. Results Ten RCTs involving 506 patients were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that compared with the patient controlled analgesia (PCA), the patient controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) significantly reduced the waiting time for having first flatus, first defecation, and the length of hospital stay (MD= –1.07, 95%CI –1.63 to –0.50; MD= –0.63, 95%CI –1.19 to –0.08; MD= –1.36, 95%CI –2.28 to –0.44; respectively), lowered the frequency of vomiting on the first and second day after operation (OR=0.33, 95%CI 0.13 to 0.82; OR=0.3, 95%CI 0.13 to 0.84; respectively), and obviously declined the visual analog scale (VAS) scores of rest pain on the first, second and third day after operation (MD= –26.60, 95%CI –33.06 to –20.15; MD= –25.98, 95%CI –30.98 to –20.97; MD= –15.59, 95%CI –27.29 to –3.88; respectively), and the VAS scores of motion pain on the first, second and third day after operation (MD= –26.00, 95%CI –36.00 to –16.00; MD= –27.89, 95%CI –35.70 to –20.08; MD= –11.79, 95%CI –21.28 to –2.30; respectively). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of urinary tract infection, urinary retention, anastomotic leak and ileus. Conclusion PCEA significantly reduces the waiting time for having first flatus and first feces, the length of hospital stay, the VAS scores of pain, and the incidence of postoperative vomiting.
In order to find an ideal biological material to prevent peridural adhesion following laminectomy, 30 rabbits were used as animal model, in each of which 2 defects with a size of 1 cm x 0.5 cm were made following laminectomy of L3, L5 spine. One of the defects was covered extradurally with chitosan, gelatin foam or PLA membrane respectively, while the other defect was exposed as control. All of these animals were sacrificed on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th week after operation, and the extradural fibrosis and adhesion of every animal were evaluated by gross observation and histological examinations. It was revealed that in the chitosan and PLA membrane groups, the extradural tissue was smooth without thickening and there was no fibrous proliferation or adhesion in the epidural cavity, and that in the chitosan group, the growth of fibroblast was restrained but the growth of the epithelial cells was promoted significantly, thus, wound healing was rapid. In the control group and gelatin foam group, obvious extradural fibrosis and adhesion were observed and the extradural space had almost disappeared. Therefore, it was concluded that the biodegradable PLA membrane and chitosan were both an ideal material in the prevention of postoperative epidural adhesion.
Objective To compare the effects of epidural anesthesia with intubated anesthesia in the postoperative recovery of patients with thoracoscopic resection of lung bullae. Methods Sixty patients (53 males, 7 females, aged 16-65 years) undergoing thoracoscopic resection of unilateral pulmonary bullae in our hospital from December 2014 to December 2015 were randomly divided into two groups: a group A (epidural anesthesia group) received thoracic epidural block combined with intraoperative interthoracic vagus nerve block; a group B (general anesthesia group) received general anesthesia with double lumen endobronchial intubation and pulmonary sequestration. Postoperative anesthesia-related complications and postoperative recovery were recorded. Results Both of the two anesthesia methods could meet the requirements of operation. The patients with the vocal cord injury and sore throat in the group B were more than those in the group A. The difference was statistically significant in the incidence of sore throat (P<0.01) . Arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) in the group A was significantly higher than that of group B before lung recruitment (P<0.01). Compared with the group B, the group A had less visual analogue scale (VAS) score (P<0.05), earlier activity and feeding, less postoperative ICU and hospital stay (P<0.01). Conclusion Epidural anesthesia combined with intraoperative interthoracic vagus nerve block can meet thoracoscopic bullectomy surgery requirements with few complications and fast postoperative recovery.
Objective To evaluate the influence of combined general and epidural anesthesia on the prognosis of patients undergoing cancer surgery. Methods Such database as PubMed, OVID, EBSCO, The Cochrane Library and CNKI were searched, and other relevant journals and references of the included literature were also hand searched from 1986 to 2011. Two evaluators independently screened the studies in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted the data and assessed the methodology quality. RevMan 5.0 software was used for meta-analyses. Results Seven studies involving 2 513 patients were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that compared with the single general anesthesia, the combined general and epidural anesthesia had no significant differences in postoperative recurrence and metastasis rate (OR=0.71, 95%CI 0.44 to 1.17, P=0.18). Based on the following four factors i.e. category of cancer, time of follow-up, having preoperative metastais or not, and patients’ age, the sensitivity analysis showed significant differences in the postoperative recurrence and metastasis rate between the two anesthesia methods were found in the group of patients at or above 64 years old and the group with follow-up equal to or less than two years (OR=1.46, 95%CI 1.00 to 2.14, P=0.05; OR=1.55, 95%CI 1.06 to 2.26, P=0.02; respectively). Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in the groups of patients with colorectal cancer or without preoperative metastasis (OR=1.00, 95%CI 0.62-1.61, P=0.99; OR=1.26, 95%CI 0.86 to 1.86, P=0.23; respectively). Conclusion Compared with single general anesthesia, the combined general and epidural anesthesia cannot reduce the recurrence and metastasis rate for cancer patients, and has no marked improvement in prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer or without preoperative metastasis, but it obviously decreases the probability of forward recurrence and metastasis for the patients at or above 64 years old and the patients with follow-up equal to or less than two years.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the protection effect of epidural anesthesia combined with general anesthesia versus general anesthesia alone in patients underwent cardiac surgery, so as to provide evidence for reducing complications of cardiac surgery. MethodsDatabases including PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2015), WanFang Data, CBM, and CNKI were searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about epidural anesthesia combined with general anesthesia versus general anesthesia alone for patients underwent cardiac surgery from inception to February 2015. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then, meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.3 software. ResultsA total of 35 RCTs involving 3 311 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, compared with the general anesthesia group, the combination anesthesia group had lower incidence of supraventricular tachycardias (RR=0.63, 95%CI 0.48 to 0.83, P=0.001) and shorter ICU stay time (SMD=-0.57, 95%CI -1.02 to-0.12, P=0.01), but there were no significant differences in the incidences of respiratory complications, myocardial infarction, stroke and mortality between the two groups (all P values >0.05). ConclusionCurrent evidence shows that the combination of epidural anesthesia and general anesthesia has better protection effect than general anesthesia alone in cardiac surgery, but the influence on long-term prognosis still needs to be assessed. Due to the limited quality of included studies, the above conclusion still needs to be verified by more high quality studies．
Objective To study the effect of the allogeneic bone sheet that has been treated by the freezedrying and radiation sterilization in preventing the epidural adhesion after laminectomy in sheep. Methods Laminectomy was performed on L3,4and L4,5 of 12 adult male sheep. Afteroperation, one site of L3,4 or L4,5was covered by the allogeneicbone sheet in “H” shape after the freeze-drying and radiation sterilization treatment; and the other site was used as a control. The sheep were killed and the specimens were retrieved at 4，8，12，16，20 and 24 weeks after operation to observe the scar formation process. X-ray andCT scan were performed in the segments of L3,4and L4,5at 4 and 24weeks. Results Four weeks after operation, the position and the shape of the allogeneic bone sheet were good in condition, and no lumbar spinal stenosis or compression of the dura was found in the experimental sections. Twentyfour weeks after operation theexamination on the experimental sections revealed that the vertebral canal reconstruction was completed, the allograft was absorbed almost completely, and inosculation with the lamina of the vertebra and the shape of the lumbar spine were good, with no fibroid tissues found in the epidural area. Compared with the control segment, the dura adhesion degree in the laminoplasty segment was significantly decreased (Plt;0.01), and the dura sac remained in a good shape. There was no obvious compression on the dura. Conclusion The allogeneic bone sheet after the treatment of freeze-drying and radiation sterilization can effectively reduce the scar formation after laminectomy and prevent postoperative recurrence of the spinal stenosis.