A survey of spinal and epidural techniques in adult cardiac surgery

Objective: To determine if a significant number of anesthesiologists are pe rforming spinal and epidural techniques in adults undergoing cardiac surger y and if any neurologic injuries have been associated with these techniques . Design: Anonymous survey of clinical practice. Setting: Data collected via mail from members of the Society of Cardiovascu lar Anesthesiologists. Participants: Attending anesthesiologists. Interventions: Anesthesiologists completed an anonymous survey of their use of spinal and epidural techniques in adult patients undergoing cardiac sur gery. Measurements and Main Results: Of 3974 anesthesiologists, 974 (24%) respond ed to the questionnaire; 892 are at institutions that perform cardiac surge ry. Of the 892 responders, 68 (7.6%) reported they use spinal techniques, w hereas 62 (7%) reported they use epidural techniques. Nine (1%) anesthesiol ogists reported they use both techniques. There were no reports of neurolog ic complications related to the use of spinal or epidural techniques perfor med by the anesthesiologists responding to the survey. Conclusions: A significant number of anesthesiologists are performing spina l and epidural techniques in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Pro spective, controlled trials should be performed to evaluate the benefits an d risks of spinal and epidural techniques in this population. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.