Laparoscopic cholecystectomy under epidural anesthesia: a clinical feasibility study

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) traditionally uses general anesthesia.
• Advancements enable LC under spinal anesthesia, prompting investigation into other regional techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of segmental epidural anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
• To evaluate the efficacy of epidural block for LC through patient and surgeon satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Twelve American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class I or II patients underwent LC with epidural block.
• Monitored epidural block level and patient/surgeon satisfaction scores.

Main Results:

• Successful LC under epidural block in most patients.
• One conversion to general anesthesia due to severe referred pain.
• One case of postoperative urinary retention; otherwise, no major complications.

Conclusions:

• Segmental epidural anesthesia is a potential option for LC.
• High incidence of intraoperative referred shoulder pain requires careful patient selection and pain management.