[The effects of prostaglandin E1 and epidural anesthesia on peripheral blood flow]

We compared the effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and epidural anesthesia on peripheral blood flow by laser Doppler tissue flowmetry during lower abdominal surgery. Epidural anesthesia increased the blood flow of the toe, where the sympathetic nerve supply is of the same spinal cord segments as that of pelvic organs. On the other hand, PGE1 could not prevent the decrease of the blood flow of the toe, but increased that of the index finger, which did not receive the nociceptive stimuli from operative site. Thus, the use of epidural anesthesia together with PGE1 is considered to be effective to increase peripheral blood flow.