Epidural anesthesia during hysterectomy diminishes postoperative pain and urinary cortisol release

Purpose To examine the hypothesis that epidural anesthesia throughout lower abdominal surgery would depress both postoperative pain and cortisol release. Methods Forty adult patients undergoing abdominal total hysterectomy were studied. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Group G received general anesthesia alone (sevoflurane 1.5%–2.5%); group E received a combination of epidural anesthesia (1.5% mepivacaine) with a light plane of general anesthesia (sevoflurane<0.5%). Postoperative analgesia was obtained epidurally by patient-controlled analgesia. Postoperative pain at rest and during movement was assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS) at 2, 24, and 48 h following surgery. The plasma concentration and urinary excretion of cortisol were measured during the perioperative period. Results VAS values were lower in group E than in group G during movement at 24h (4.6±0.5vs 6.1±0.4 cm). Urinary cortisol excretion on the first postoperative day was less in group E than in group G (192±34vs 480±120μg). Conclusions Epidural blockade prior to surgical stimuli and throughout lower abdominal surgery reduces the postoperative dynamic pain and stress response.