Epidural Versus Wound Infusion Plus Morphine Bolus in Open Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

1 g every 8 hours

Wound infiltration with 10 ml levobupivacaine 0.5%

Epidural bolus of 10 ml 0.25% levobupivacaine

Epidural bolus of 0.15 mcg/kg sufentanil

Intravenous slow bolus of 10 mg morphine

Thoracic epidural catheter placement in the T7-T8 or T8-T9 intervertebral space

Pre-peritoneal placement of two catheters for wound infusion

Epidural infusion of levobupivacaine 0.12% plus sufentanil 0.4 mcg/ml at 4 ml/h for 48 h

Wound infusion with levobupivacaine 0.25% at 4 ml/h for 48 h