[The potentials and limits of thoracic epidural anesthesia in abdominal surgery]

A general clinical assessment was made of the possibilities and limits of thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) in 132 abdominal operations. The technique applied for preparation, the performance and induction in anesthesia, the intraoperative observation and the postoperative analgesia are described. The patients were evaluated according to ADA for risk factors and the accompanying diseases, the diagnoses by groups and the operations performed on the bile ducts, the small and large intestines, the liver, the retroperitoneal organs, combined operations, interventions on the anterior abdominal wall etc were presented. The mean duration of the operations was 111.77 min., the preoperative preparation and performance of anesthesia--63 minutes, total 175 minutes. Application of TEA was decided taking into consideration the patient state, the type of operation the alternative for applying general intubation anesthesia, the course of anesthesia and the postoperative analgesia. The hemodynamic changes especially in cardiac patients, other complications and causes of inadequate effect of TEA in 12 cases not included in this report are discussed. As a rule, appendicectomies and inguinal herniotomies were not included also in this report.