The differential impact of two anesthetic techniques on cortisol levels in Nigerian surgical patients.

BACKGROUND: Surgical procedures are associated with a complexity of stress response characterized by neurohumoral, immunologic, and metabolic alterations. AIM: The aim was to compare the effects on the stress response by isoflurane-based intratracheal general anesthesia (ITGA) and bupivacaine-based epidural anesthesia (EA), using cortisol as a biochemical marker. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following the approval of the Hospital Ethical Board, informed written consent from patients recruited into this study was obtained. One group received general anesthesia with relaxant technique (group A) while the other group had bupicaine epidural anesthesia with catheter placement for top-ups (group B) for their surgeries. Both groups were assessed for plasma cortisol levels - baseline, 30 minutes after skin the start of surgery and at skin closure. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the baseline mean heart rate, mean arterial pressure (mean MAP) and the mean duration of surgery between the two groups; the baseline mean plasma cortisol level was 88.70 ± 3.85 ng/ml for group A and 85.55 ± 2.29 ng/ml for group B, P=0.148. At 30 minutes after the start of surgery the plasma cortisol level in the GA group was 361.60 ± 31.27 ng/ml while it was 147.45 ± 22.36 ng/ml in the EA group, showing a significant difference, P=0.001. At skin closure the mean plasma cortisol value of 384.65 ± 48.04 ng/ml recorded in the GA group was found to be significantly higher than the value of 140.20 ± 10.74 ng/ml in the GA group, P<0.002. CONCLUSION: Using plasma cortisol as a measure, bupivacaine-based epidural anesthesia significantly reduces the stress response to surgical stimuli when compared with isoflurane-based tracheal general anesthesia.

Epidural anaesthesia for caesarean section in a patient with extreme cardiovascular and respiratory disease.

A 24-year old booked primigravida, with rheumatic heart disease in heart failure and lobar pneumonia presented in active labour. She was stabilized and prepared for an emergency Caesarean section that was successfully managed with Epidural Anaesthesia. She was admitted into the intensive care unit where the pneumonia and heart failure were managed by the physicians. The importance of proper follow up and treatment and, the need to perform more epidural techniques to meet the ever increasing challenges to the Anaesthetist are highlighted.