Today's Postoperative Epidural Analgesia

Abstract

  Generalization of prophylaxis for postoperative venous pulmonary thromboembolism, recent introduction of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block and parenteral opioid administration using highly advanced IV-PCA systems have changed postoperative analgesic strategies. The indication of postoperative epidural analgesia tends to be decreasing.
  However, epidural analgesia still has the clinical advantage of superior pain control and lower postoperative respiratory complications. Additionally, recent clinical investigations have also mentioned the advantage of epidural analgesia on cancer recurrence.
  Epidural analgesia is especially useful when combined with other analgesic methods. It will provide superior postoperative management under better proven indications.