Are the sympathetic sensorimotor changes induced by thoracic epidural anaesthesia such that mobilization is possible?

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Surgery: Thoracotomy; Surgery; Thoracotomy

• Registration Number: ISRCTN74560140
• Lead Sponsor: Record Provided by the NHSTCT Register - 2006 Update - Department of Health

Brief Summary

Not available

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2006-09-29
• Last Update Posted: 17 October 2016

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 80

Inclusion Criteria

All adult patients having elective thoracotomy under general anaesthesia with epidural analgesia for post operative pain relief at the Cardiothoracic Centre, Liverpool.

The statistical calculations were done based on a similar study looking at epidural analgesia in labor in an ambulatory patient (Anesth Analg 1993;77:919-24). This paper suggests a failure to ambulate in 10% of the patients in the fentanyl group. A difference of 25% between this and the fentanyl/bupivacaine group would be significant clinically. With an alpha error of 5% and a power of 89% then n=80, which is 40 patients in each group.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Patients unable to mobilize preoperatively due to pre existing neurological, cardiorespiratory or locomotor disease
2. Those with known autonomic nervous system dysfunction, those on beta blockers, those with moderate severe angina (Canadian Cardiovascular Society Class 3 or 4), those with diabetes, those with known allergy to bupivacaine/ fentanyl
3. Routine contraindications to epidural catheter placement will apply

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified