Abstract:
Background:
The choice of anaesthesia technique in elective lumbar spine surgery significantly
influences perioperative outcomes. While general anaesthesia (GA) remains the
standard approach in Lumbar spine surgery, combined epidural and general anaesthesia
(CEGA) has gained attention for its potential benefits. This study aims to compare the
effects intraoperatively and postoperative outcomes of GA versus CEGA in patients
undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery.
Methods:
A randomized controlled trial was conducted on sixty four patients scheduled for
elective lumbar spine surgery for over one and half years. Participants were randomly
assigned to receive either GA alone or CEGA. The parameters that were observed were
intraoperative vitals, isoflurane requirement, total blood loss throughout the surgery and
postoperative parameters such as vitals, pain scoring scale (VAS Score), the duration at
which rescue analgesic was needed and the complications were noted.
Results:
Preliminary findings indicate that patients in the CEGA group experienced better
intraoperative hemodynamic stability in comparison to GA group. The anaesthetic
agents required and loss of blood during surgery was significantly reduced in CEGA
group. While in postoperative period, the pain score and the duration of first rescue
analgesic required were lower in the CEGA group and also complications post surgery
were less encountered.
Docusign Envelope ID: 60376AD8-53C5-45F3-BCB8-6764565EA189
11
Conclusion:
The use of CEGA in elective lumbar spine surgery appears to offer significant
advantages over GA alone, particularly in terms of intraoperative isoflurane use, blood
loss and postoperative pain management. These findings suggest that CEGA may be a
preferable anaesthetic technique for lumbar spine surgery. Further research with a larger
sample size is recommended to validate these results.
