[Post-aggression metabolism and peridural anesthesia: modification of catabolism by anesthesia procedures?]

Postoperative catabolic state of metabolism represents a danger for patients in regard to protein degradation. As postoperative nutrition seems already quite optimal, we examined if anaesthesia, predominantly peridural anaesthesia, would be able to reduce postaggressive metabolism. 20 patients with gastrectomy or subtotal gastric resection were randomized either for a combined anaesthesia with PDA and intubation or for balanced fentanyl analgesia. In both groups the typical characteristics of postaggressive metabolism could be demonstrated without any difference.