Prospective randomized trial of high thoracic epidural analgesia for coronary artery bypass surgery

Abstract

Background. Postoperative pain may be severe after coronary artery bypass surgery. High thoracic epidural analgesia (HTEA) provides intense analgesia. Methods. Eighty patients were randomized to HTEA or intravenous morphine analgesia (control). Patients received coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) with cardiopulmonary bypass. Pain was measured by visual analogue scale 0 to 10. Psychologic morbidity, intraoperative hemodynamics, ventricular function, lung function, and physiotherapy cooperation were also assessed. On the third postoperative day HTEA and morphine were ceased and only oral medications were used. Acetaminophen, indomethacin, and tramadol were allowed as supplemental analgesics..