A Comparison of Epidural Ropivacaine Infusion Alone and in Combination with 1, 2, and 4 [micro sign]g/mL Fentanyl for Seventy-Two Hours of Postoperative Analgesia After Major Abdominal Surgery

Abstract

Postoperative epidural analgesic infusions are widely used, but there is little information regarding optimal strengths of opioid with local anesthetic. In this blinded, prospective study, we compared four different epidural infusion solutions for efficacy and side effects over a clinically useful postoperative period and conclude that an epidural infusion of ropivacaine 2 mg/mL with fentanyl 4 microg/mL was most effective.