[The search for new approaches to the treatment of bronchial asthma]

The results of the application of prolonged epidural blockade as a basic component of an original technique of management of severe forms of bronchial asthma have been analysed in 80 patients. It has been shown that the technique described has a marked bronchodilating effect with improved bronchial patency, improves pulmonary circulation, facilitates sputum separation, relieves asphyxia attacks, decreases the time of the patients stay in hospital, and ensures a more durable remission period than conventional therapeutic techniques.