A prospective study on the comparison of general anesthesia and tea (thoracic epidural anesthesia) for perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy

Abstract

The 2nd most common tumor among women is breast cancer. Surgery is usually done by general anesthesia (GA). TEA is one of the anesthetic procedures that can be performed using local anesthetic epidural administration. TEA may boost pain relief without the potential for respiratory muscle weakness and sedation. An epidural catheter was inserted in T4 to T5 for the T-group, with a 10-15 ml injection of 0.75% ropivacaine. Intermittent supplements of 5-10 ml 0.75% ropivacaine maintained anesthesia. General anesthesia was caused by fentanyl of 1-2 μg/kg, accompanied by propofol (1.5-2 mg/kg), with sevoflurane. We evaluated intraoperative hemodynamics, post-operative patient parameters like nausea and vomiting, shivering, respiratory depression. Overall patient satisfaction is compared between two groups. The demographic data was similar in both groups. Intraoperative hypotension observed in 33.3% of group T patients and 16.6% of group G patients. 20% of the group T patients showed intraoperative bradycardia, whereas 6.66% of group G patients showed intraoperative bradycardia. Incidence of vomiting & nausea is 26.6% in group G, whereas in group T it is 6.66%. The incidence of post-operative shivering is equal in both groups. Post-operative respiratory depression is not observed in both groups. 86.6% of the group T patients are satisfied overall, whereas it is 60% in group G.