Topical morphine controlled acute postmastectomy pain in a dose-dependent manner and reduced the incidence and severity of chronic postmastectomy pain syndrome.

We conclude that intraperitoneal administration of Dex 1 μg/kg combined with bupivacaine improves the quality and the duration of postoperative analgesia and provides an analgesic sparing effect compared to bupivacaine alone without significant adverse effects in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.

Our results do not support improved analgesia with the combination of intrathecal morphine and dexmedetomidine, despite the absence of significant adverse effects.

ObjectiveTo assess the postoperative analgesic efficacy of epidural dexmedetomidine added to bupivacaine infusion for patients undergoing major abdominal cancer surgery.MethodsPatients scheduled for major upper abdominal cancer surgery were allocated to group bupivacaine (n =32), in which patients received epidural bupivacaine infusion (6 mL/h bupivacaine 0.1%) for 48 hours postoperatively, or group bupivacaine + dexmedetomidine (n=32), in which patients received epidural dexmedetomidine added to bupivacaine infusion (6 mL/h of bupivacaine 0.1% + dexmedetomidine, 0.5 µg/mL) for 48 hours postoperatively. The cumulative morphine consumption, the time to first analgesic request, and the VAS pain score were evaluated.ResultsThe cumulative morphine consumption was significantly reduced in group bupivacaine + dexmedetomidine compared with group bupivacaine: mean ± SD of 10.40±5.16 mg vs 23.23±8.37 mg with an estimated difference (95% CI) of −12.83 (−16.43, −9.24), (P<0.001). The time to the first analgesic demand was significantly delayed in group bupivacaine + dexmedetomidine compared with group bupivacaine: median (IQR) of 6 (1.75, 8.25) h vs 1 (0, 4)h, (P<0.001). The mean collapsed over time of overall VAS pain scores at rest and movement was significantly reduced in group bupivacaine + dexmedetomidine compared with group bupivacaine : mean ± SE of 1.6±0.08 vs 2.38±0.08 with an estimated difference (95% CI) of −0.8 (−1, −0.86), (P<0.001), and mean ± SE of 2.17±0.07 vs 3.25±0.07 with an estimated difference (95% CI) of −1.1 (−1.27, – 0.89), (P<0.001), respectively.ConclusionEpidural infusion of dexmedetomidine added to bupivacaine for patients undergoing major abdominal cancer surgery significantly reduced morphine consumption, delayed time to first analgesic supplementation, and decreased pain intensity during the first 48 hours postoperatively without harmful derangement on hemodynamics.

Background: Thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) has a well-known effect on neurohormonal response. Attenuation of stress response by post-operative epidural analgesia has shown beneficial effects such as lower pain scores and less immunological alterations. Objectives: Investigation of the combined effects of TEA and protective lung ventilation on proinflammatory cytokines and patients’ outcome after Ivor Lewis esophagectomy. Study Design: A randomized controlled study. Setting: Academic medical center. Methods: Thirty patients of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I and II were randomly allocated into 2 groups: G1 (n = 15) patients received general anesthesia and were mechanically ventilated with 9 mL/kg during 2 lung ventilations, reduced to 5 mL/kg and 5cm H2O positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) during one lung ventilation (OLV) or GII) (n = 15) patients received TEA and the same general anesthesia and mechanical ventilation used in G1. Assessment parameters included hemodynamics, pain severity, total analgesic consumption, and measurement of interleukins (IL) (IL-6 and IL-8) at baseline time after anesthetic induction (TBaseline,); at the end of the abdominal stage of the operation (TAbdo,); 15 minutes after initiation and at the end of OLV (TOLV 15) and (TOLV End) respectively; one and 20 hours after the end of the surgical procedure (TPostop1 and TPostop20), respectively, and patient’s outcome also recorded. Results: There was a significant reduction in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and pulse rate in GII during the intraoperative period, at Tabdo, TOLV15, and TOLV End (P < 0.05). The mean of systolic blood pressure (SBP) values were significantly lower in GII over all 3 post-operative days (P = 0.001), and the mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) showed a significant reduction in GII for 16 hours post-operatively (P = 0.001). The mean of heart rate values showed a significant reduction in GII over all 3 post-operative days in comparison to GI (P = 0.001). The mean resting and dynamic VAS scores were significantly reduced in GII at all time periods studied in comparison to G1 (P = 0.001). The daily PCA morphine consumption was markedly decreased in GII compared to GI in the first 3 days post-operatively (P = 0.001). There were significant reductions in blood level of IL-6 and IL-8 in GII compared to G1 over the entire study period (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in post-operative adverse effects between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). The duration of stay in PACU was significantly decreased in GII (10 ± 2 days) compared to GI (15 ± 3 days) (P = 0.001). Limitations: This study is limited by its sample size. Conclusion: Our study concluded that TEA reduced the systemic pro-inflammatory response and provided optimal post-operative pain relief. Although there were no significant differences in adverse events, there was a trend towards improved outcome. Further clinical studies with larger numbers of patients are required. Key words: Esophagectomy, one lung ventilation, thoracic epidural analgesia proiflammatory cytokines