Prostaglandin E1 reduces blood loss during and after resection of lumbar herniated disc.

Controlled hypotension was employed during resection of lumbar herniated disc on 10 patients. Prostaglandin E(1) (PG) was used as a hypotensive agent. The systolic blood pressure was lowered less than 100 mmHg in the hypotensive group. The average blood loss during surgery was 95 +/- 41 ml for the hypotensive group compared with 154 +/- 81 ml for the normotensive group ( P < 0.05). The blood loss after surgery was also significantly less in the hypotensive group than in the normotensive group ( P < 0.05). We conclude that PG is an effective hypotensive agent on blood loss during and after surgery.