Data on factors contributing to the development of postoperative cardiac complications (myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmias) in non-cardiosurgical operations are presented. Hypotension and blood loss usually distinguished among such factors, but less attention is paid role neuroendocrine reactions, particular, hyperactivation sympathoadrenal system; protective effect anesthesia, r...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Spinal epidural abscesses are major complications of epidural anesthesia, and their MR features have been reported. In patients receiving continuous infusion via an epidural catheter, MR findings may mimic those of spinal epidural abscess in the absence of infection. The purpose of this study was to assess the spinal MR findings associated with continuous epidural anesthe...

We describe a patient with a sphenoid sinus tumor who developed loss of vision due to rapid tumor progression necessitating an early delivery of her twin fetuses by cesarean section. The patient had co morbidities and requested to be awake during the surgery, she was managed using a combined spinal epidural anesthesia. The advantages of combined spinal epidural anesthesia as compared to a singl...

BACKGROUND Epidrum® is a recently developed, air operated, loss of resistance (LOR) device for identifying the epidural space. We investigated the usefulness of Epidrum® by comparing it with the conventional LOR technique for identifying the epidural space. METHODS One hundred eight American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I or II patients between the ages of 17 and 68 year...

We report a case of failed epidural anesthesia despite successful identification of the epidural space, loss of resistance technique, hanging drop method and drip infusion. This case evaluated the use of computed tomography to confirm epidural catheter position, which showed the catheter accidentally positioned at the T2 lamina. Because epidural anesthesia can even after successful procedure us...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Thoracic epidural block is frequently used for esthetic breast surgeries but reports of its use in mastectomies with axillary exploration are very rare. The present study compared this technique with general anesthesia in oncologic surgeries of the breasts. METHODS Forty patients were divided in two groups. The epidural group (n = 20) underwent epidural thoracic bloc...

Objective: This study tests the hypothesis that epidural anesthesia during, and epidural analgesia after, lower extremity vascular surgery decreases the incidence of postoperative morbidity compared with general anesthesia. Method: Using a prospective, randomized, non-blinded clinical trial design, 82 patients scheduled for lower extremity revascularization surgery were randomized to either epi...

PURPOSE The effect of position on the spread and the onset time of epidural anesthesia has not been well documented. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of modified Trendelenburg position on the spread of epidural anesthesia for Cesarean section. METHODS Seven hundred thirty-nine parturients underwent epidural anesthesia for elective or emergent Cesarean section. Patients were divi...

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of epidural anesthesia on cardiovascular responses and survival in experimental hemorrhagic shock in dogs. Thirty mongrel dogs were randomly assigned to one of three groups on the basis of anesthetic technique: the upper-level group (n = 10), receiving general anesthesia plus upper-level (mainly thoracic region) epidural anesthesia; the...

BACKGROUND Whether regional anesthesia is associated with tumor-free and long-term survival is controversial. Here, we focused on whether epidural anesthesia affects the long-term survival of gastric cancer patients after surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS We obtained the records of 273 patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery between August 2006 and December 2010. All patients received elective s...