Low-Thoracic Epidural Anesthesia For Laparoscopic Nephrectomy.

"Under aseptic conditions and local anesthesia, an epidural catheter will be inserted using the Prefix Epidural Anesthesia Tray with an 18 G Tuohy needle \& a 20 G catheter at the T7-8 or T8-9 intervertebral space. The epidural catheter will be threaded leaving 3 cm within the epidural space and tapped in place.~Using a mixed preparation of isobaric Bupivacaine 0.5% with Fentanyl 2 μg per ml volume, a bolus dose of 5-10 ml will then be given via the epidural catheter, followed by 5-10 ml/hr as a continuous infusion to be started 1 hour later \& continued throughout the procedure."

General anaesthesia will be induced with intra-venous administration of Fentanyl (2 μg/kg), Propofol (2 mg/kg), Atracurium (0.5 mg/kg) and Lidocaine (1 mg/kg). After tracheal intubation, balanced anaesthesia will be maintained with isoflurane in oxygen \& infusion of atracurium at a rate of 0.5 mg/kg/hr; and mechanical ventilation will be provided.