Epidural Analgesia and Postoperative Respiratory Functions (EPAPRES)

Before the initiation of the procedure, in the intervention group epidural catheter was inserted by loss of resistance method at the level of T3-T7 with the help of an 18 G Thuohy needle (Pajunk, Geisingen, Germany) while the patient was on sitting position. A test dose of 2 ml, 2% Lidocaine HCL was administered through the catheter. Once, efficacy was confirmed, 10 ml bolus dose of 0.1% Bupivacaine was injected. Analgesia maintenance was provided by infusion of 0.1% Bupivacaine (0.1 ml/kg/hour) both intra- and postoperatively for 24 hours.

In addition to multimodal analgesia protocol, epidural bupivacaine was administered in TEA arm and pain relief was achieved by intravenous pethidine infusion in IVA arm.