Epidural analgesia in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy

ABSTRACT Introduction: Epidural analgesia is an effective technique for postoperative pain relief. Our aim in this retrospective study was to assess the postoperative pain control and complications relating to epidural technique in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP). Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of 193 patients who underwent LRP, in which epidural analgesia was the postoperative pain approach, was performed. The procedure is generally performed under combined anesthesia. Data collected was postoperative pain data; appearance of neurological disorders (Bromage scale was used for motor weakness assessment); data related to the epidural technique and possible difficulties when performing it; data on epidural infusion; catheter-related complications; hospital stay, postoperative complications, and outcome. Results: Firstly, average VAS at rest was 1.2 ± 1.6; and upon movement, average VAS was 1.9 ± 1.8 during the hospital stay. Secondly, complications related to epidural technique appeared in 37 % of patients. There were 3 cases of hematic puncture; 3 accidental catheter disconnections; 1 dural puncture, and 1 subdural block. As for neurological secondary effects of local anesthetics in the epidural technique, 56 patients (30.1 %) presented with motor block of one or both lower extremities after surgery, and 5 (2.7 %) with paresthesia. Statistical analysis showed that motor weakness was not related to age, weight, type of local anesthetic used, infusion rate, level of epidural puncture nor length of catheter within the epidural space (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Postoperative epidural analgesia offers excellent analgesic quality but it can be associated with several complications secondary to the use of local anesthetics, which could disagree with the terms of Fast-track surgery. New techniques like the TAP block could offer the same analgesic quality, without the epidural´s technique potential complications.