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Comparison of the effects of patient-controlled epidural and intravenous analgesia on postoperative bowel function after laparoscopic gastrectomy: a prospective randomized study

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Abstract

Background

Although laparoscopic surgery significantly reduces surgical trauma compared to open surgery, postoperative ileus is a frequent and significant complication after abdominal surgery. Unlike laparoscopic colorectal surgery, the effects of epidural analgesia on postoperative recovery after laparoscopic gastrectomy are not well established. We compared the effects of epidural analgesia to those of conventional intravenous (IV) analgesia on the recovery of bowel function after laparoscopic gastrectomy.

Method

Eighty-six patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy randomly received either patient-controlled epidural analgesia with ropivacaine and fentanyl (Epi PCA group) or patient-controlled IV analgesia with fentanyl (IV PCA group), beginning immediately before incision and continuing for 48 h thereafter. The primary endpoint was recovery of bowel function, evaluated by the time to first flatus. The balance of the autonomic nervous system, pain scores, duration of postoperative hospital stay, and complications were assessed.

Results

The time to first flatus was shorter in the epidural PCA group compared with the IV PCA group (61.3 ± 11.1 vs. 70.0 ± 12.3 h, P = 0.001). Low-frequency/high-frequency power ratios during surgery were significantly higher in the IV PCA group, compared with baseline and those in the epidural PCA group. The epidural PCA group had lower pain scores during the first 1 h postoperatively and required less analgesics during the first 6 h postoperatively.

Conclusions

Compared with IV PCA, epidural PCA facilitated postoperative recovery of bowel function after laparoscopic gastrectomy without increasing the length of hospital stay or PCA-related complications. This beneficial effect of epidural analgesia might be attributed to attenuation of sympathetic hyperactivation, improved analgesia, and reduced opioid use.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Jin Sun Cho, Ki-Young Lee, Sun Joon Bai, Haegi Choi & Young Chul Yoo

  2. Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Jin Sun Cho, Ki-Young Lee, Sun Joon Bai & Young Chul Yoo

  3. Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Hyoung-Il Kim & Taeil Son

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  1. Jin Sun Cho
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Correspondence to Young Chul Yoo.

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Jin Sun Cho, Hyoung-Il Kim, Ki-Young Lee, Taeil Son, Sun Joon Bai, Haegi Choi, and Young Chul Yoo have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclosure.

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Cho, J.S., Kim, HI., Lee, KY. et al. Comparison of the effects of patient-controlled epidural and intravenous analgesia on postoperative bowel function after laparoscopic gastrectomy: a prospective randomized study. Surg Endosc 31, 4688–4696 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-017-5537-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-017-5537-6

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