Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 16, 2025
Full-Endoscopic Isolation Zone Technique for the Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation
Published on: April 7, 2023
Epidural Analgesia in Ventral Hernia Repair: An Analysis of 30-day Outcomes
Mark R Jones1, Ethan Y Brovman1, Amy E Wagenaar1
1Jones, MD, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Brovman, MD, Wagenaar, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Whang, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York. Ang, MD, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Kaye, MD, PhD, Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neurosciences, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Shreveport, LA. Urman, MD, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Center for Perioperative Research, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
Background:
Ventral hernia repair (VHR) is a common procedure associated with significant postoperative morbidity and prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS). The use of epidural analgesia in VHR has not been widely evaluated.
Purpose:
To compare the outcomes of general anesthesia plus epidural analgesia (GA + EA) versus general anesthesia alone (GA) in patients undergoing ventral hernia repair.
Methods:
The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to identify elective cases of VHR. Propensity score-matched analysis was used to compare outcomes in GA vs GA + EA groups. Cases receiving transverse abdominus plane blocks were excluded.
Results:
A total of 9697 VHR cases were identified, resulting in two matched cohorts of 521 cases each. LOS was significantly longer in the GA + EA group (5.58 days) vs the GA group (5.20 days, p = 0.008). No other statistically significant differences in 30-day outcomes were observed between the matched cohorts.
Conclusion:
Epidural analgesia in VHR is associated with statistically significant, but not clinically significant increase in LOS and may not yield any additional benefit in cases of isolated, elective VHR. Epidural analgesia may not be beneficial in this surgical population. Future studies should focus on alternative modes of analgesia to optimize pain control and outcomes for this procedure.
More Related Videos
04:33Spinal Hernia Repair and Cauda Equina Repositioning After Lumbar Decompression under Three-Dimensional Microscopy: A Case Report and Literature Review
Published on: November 8, 2024
09:00Application of Straight-needle, Three-tailed, Knot-free, Peritoneal Sutures in Laparoscopic Transabdominal Preperitoneal Hernia Repair
Published on: November 12, 2021
Related Concept Videos
01:29Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
01:11Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia
01:22Aneurysm IV: Nursing Management