Does epidural analgesia for thoracotomy reduce biochemical,markers of myocardial damage in ischemic heart patients?

ABSTRACT

Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery continue to be an area of active investigative interest because of its clinical and economic impact. is prospective randomized controlled study, we investigate the effect of thoracic epidural anesthesia/analgesia] on the release of troponin I [cTnI] and creatine kinase enzyme [CK-MB], ECG changes and postoperative anal-during elective thoracie surgery in ischemic heart patients. 20 patients with stable ischemic heart disease scheduled for elective thoracic surgery were randomized into 2 equal groups, a general anesthesia [GA] group and a generalhesia plus thoracic epidural analgesia [TEA]. The GA > received an initial IV loading dose of morphine 0.1mg/kg before induction followed by infusion of 75 mg morphine 250 ml normal saline at a rate 5ml [l.5mg]/h till 48 hours] post operative. The TEA group received 8 ml ropivacaine 0.2% and fentanyl 50mcg epidurally. And then epidural infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% and fentanyl 2mcg/ml was Tienced at a rate 6ml/h till 48hours postoperative. We monitored [cTnI and CK-MB], ECG changes, visual analogue, cardiopulmonary parameters and any side effects. There were no differences in troponin I and CK-levels between both groups. There were transient ischemic episodes 30% in GA group and 10% in TEA group. Analgesia improved in the TEA group compared with the GA group. mean arterial blood pressure was significantly lower in iA group. Also there were no differences between both is as regard sedation score or nausea score and there was patients who developed itching in both groups. Thoracic epidural analgesia for elective [cic surgery in ischemic heart patients improved post operative analgesia but had no effect on the release of biochemical markers of myocardial damage [Troponin I and CK]