IMPACT OF POSTOPERATIVE THORACIC EPIDURAL ANALGESIA ON INTRAABDOMINAL PRESSURE IN SURGICAL PATIENTS IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS
The impact of postoperative epidural versus systemic opioid analgesia on intraabdominal pressure levels was studied in the postoperative patients of intensive care units (ICU). The study covered 386 patients, including 70 patients with epidural analgesia and 316 patients receiving combination analgesia with opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. A significant reduction in intraabdominal pressure without hemodynamic instability was noted in the epidural analgesia group during the first 4 days of ICU stay. It is concluded that epidural anesthesia can have some advantage over opioid analgesia in reducing intraabdominal pressure in the postoperative period.