COMPARISON BETWEEN INTERPLEURAL ANALGESIA AND PERIDURAL ANESTHESIA INPATIENTS UNDERGOING UROLOGICAL SURGERY IN THE LATERAL POSITION

A total of 27 patients undergoing open urological surgery in the later al decubitus were prospectively randomized to two groups: Group I rece ived a pleural catheter group II lumbar peridural analgesia, in each c ase combined with endotracheal anaesthesia. Both groups were given 0.5 % bupivacaine; group I received 2 mg/kg body weight to a maximum of 15 0 mg while group II were given 1-1.8 ml for each segment blocked. A co mparison was made between the haemodynamics, the extent of post-operat ive pain, the plasma levels of bupivacaine, and the side effects obser ved with the two methods. While the haemodynamic parameters in group I remained stable, three patients in group II developed hypotension, on e of whom additionally experienced bradycardia. Both groups experience d good, but not complete, analgesia in the early postoperative phase. During the course of this study no case of pneumothorax was observed, a fact we attribute to the advantages of the puncture set we employed No signs of toxic reaction were to be observed.