[Risks in postoperative pain therapy using a peridural catheter in a normal general ward].

In general surgical wards postoperative epidural analgesia was performed in 286 patients consecutively. Epidural catheters were kept in place 8.3 days in the average with a minimum of 24 h and a maximum of 45 d. Bupivacain was applied as a 0.25% solution with an average daily dose of 75-250 mg and single doses of 12.5-50.0 mg. An uncomplicated course was noticed in 250 cases, 19 cases showed haemodynamic, 7 cases neurologic and 10 cases technical complications. Severe decrease of systolic blood pressure more than 30% of the control value was due to postoperative haemorrhage, to anaemia with Hgb-concentration lower than 11 g/dl or to untreated chronical hypertension. On the basis of these observations a list of conditions has been drawn up which should be adhered to when epidural catheters are used for postoperative pain relief in normal wards.