[Endocrine-metabolic response to 2 different techniques in surgery of the abdominal aorta]

Plasma cortisol and PRL were measured in two groups of patients undergoing reconstructive aortic surgery under either general anaesthesia and continuous epidural analgesia with supplemental general anaesthesia. The results confirmed that epidural analgesia with light general anaesthesia is much able than general anaesthesia to suppress the metabolic response associated with aortic surgery procedures.