Evaluating the Efficacy of Extraplural versus Epidural Analgesia for post-thoracotomy pain

Thoracotomy is a particularly painful surgery and good pain control is crucial to maximize the ability to cough and breath. The most common methods of post operative pain management are systemic narcotics and epidural adminstration of local anesthetic agents or narcotics. The purpose of the persent study was to compare postthoracotomy analgesia of extraplural and epidural catheters. This is a randomized clinical control trial study performed in Alzahra''s hospital of medical university of Isfahan. 64 patients were randomized in two groups. In group A، 15cc %0/125 bupivacaine before surgery and in group B، 10cc %0/5 bupivacaine at the end of surgery were injected and repeated every hour post operatively. Visual analog scale in two group collected and comparcd. VAS in epidural catleter was better than extra plural catheter but this difference is not significant. (P<0/05). No significant respiratory complication wre reported in both group. Due to results this difference is related to position، drainage of chest tube، volume of local anesthetic and type of surgery in the extra plural groups. Because of no significant difference between them we can use this techniques based on experience and preference of anesthesiologist and surgeon.