Comparison of Time to Recovery of Gastrointestinal function following Gastrointestinal Surgery

Abstract

Background: Gastrointestinal tract Recovery following gastrointestinal surgery is a very important parameter to determine the outcome of gastrointestinal surgery. Gastrointestinal tract dysfunction is the commonest postoperative complication and is the cause of delayed hospital discharge.. Objective: To compare mean time for recovery of gastrointestinal function, in Thoracic Epidural Analgesia and Systemic Opioid Analgesia groups in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Department of Anaesthesia, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital & Research Centre, Lahore. Duration of study: 6 months. Method: 60 cases (30 cases in each group) were included in this study. Group A was given Thoracic Epidural Analgesia whereas group B patients received Systemic Opioid Analgesia. Results: Mean age was 32.76±5.33 in group A and 31.21±7.84 years in group B. In group A 22 patients (44%) and in group B 24 patients (48.0%) were male while 28 patients (56.0%) in group A and 26 patients (52%) in group B were female. Group A has shown early recovery of gastrointestinal function (time: 42.63±1.86hours) as compared to Group B (time: 79.93±4.73hours). P-value=0.0002 was obtained that was extremely significant. Conclusion: Thoracic Epidural Analgesia provides early recovery of gastrointestinal function as compared to Systemic Opioid Analgesia in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery