A Comparative Study to Evaluate Two Different Doses of Epidural Tramadol for Postoperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Upper Abdominal Surgery

The aim of postoperative analgesia is to provide subjective comfort with minimum side effects, with early ambulation and restoration of function. In upper abdominal surgery, the severity of postoperative pain is higher and it restricts the movement of diaphragm which increases the incidence of respiratory complications, hospital stay, surgical morbidity and mortality in these surgeries. Regional analgesia techniques like epidural analgesia with the introduction of local anaesthetics or opioids or mixture of the two in the epidural space is an established method of effective postoperative analgesia. Tramadol hydrochloride is an atypical centrally acting opioid with mixed opioid and non-opioid activity. Epidural tramadol has the benefit of lack of respiratory depresssant effect along with prolonged postoperative pain relief. The aim of the present study is to find out an optimum dose of tramadol hydrochloride to be used epidurally in upper abdominal surgery patients, based on body weight.