POSTOPERATIVE EPIDURAL ANALGESIA FOLLOWING RADICAL RETROPUBIC PROSTATECTOMY - OUTCOME ASSESSMENT

Background and Objectives: We retrospectively examined the effects of epidural analgesia on patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatec tomy (RRP). Methods: Patients (203) underwent radical retropubic prost atectomy under either general or epidural anesthesia alone or a combin ed general epidural technique. Of those, 143 had an epidural catheter placed and underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy under general an esthesia followed by postoperative epidural analgesia (Group E+G). Twe nty-eight patients had the operation under epidural anesthesia followe d by epidural analgesia in the postoperative period (Group E). Thirty- two patients had general anesthesia for the operation and postoperativ e systemic analgesia (Group G). Results: There were no significant dif ferences between the groups with respect to age, height, weight, ASA s tatus, or operation time. The length of postoperative hospital stay wa s significantly longer in the general anesthesia group patients as com pared to the other two groups (P < 0.05). Intraoperative blood loss an d blood replacement were significantly higher in the general anesthesi a group (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to return of bowel function postoperatively, or i ncidence of complications. Conclusions: Epidural anesthesia and analge sia following radical retropubic prostatectomy have demonstrated a num ber of beneficial effects. These include decreased blood loss and shor ter hospital stay. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.