COMPARISON OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA AND THORACIC EPIDURAL ANESTHESIA IN DIAGNOSTIC THORACOSCOPY

Better clinical outcomes are observed in patients who undergo thoracic procedures under thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA). This study aimed to compare the outcome of diagnostic thoracoscopy between patients with General anaesthesia (GA) and TEA. In this randomized prospective study 30 candidates of diagnostic thoracoscopy underwent either GA (n=15) or TEA (m=15). Pre-, intra-, and post-operational vital signs and O2 saturation, pre- and post-operational parameters of arterial blood gas (ABG), and post-operational pain, need of analgesics, complications, hospital stay and mortality rate were documented and compared between two groups. Vital signs and ABG parameters were comparable between the two groups. Although there was better condition in the TEA group, the mean post-operational pain, dose of analgesics and hospital stay were comparable between the two groups statistically. There was no case with intra-operational agitation, change to general anesthesia, complications, need for intensive care unit admission, or mortality. In candidates of diagnostic thoracoscopy, TEA is at least equal to GA in terms of intra-operational vital signs and parameters of ABG. TEA is superior to GA regarding post-operative pain and hospital stay, but this predominance does not reach a statistically significant level.