Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: In major abdominal surgery, different analgesic techniques such as systemic intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) or regional techniques, such as epidural analgesia (EDA), are established standard procedures for effective perioperative pain control. The present study was conducted to compare analgesic efficacy of continuous wound infiltration with continuous epidural infusion technique. Materials & Methods: 94 patients aged 30–60 years were divided into 2 groups of 47 each. Group I were given continuous epidural infusion (CEI) and group II were given (CWI). The catheter (epidural/wound infiltration) was inserted in group I before induction) and group II at the end of surgery. The primary outcome was the visual analogue score at rest (VASR) and at deep breathing (VASDB) post-operatively. Secondary outcomes were post-operative morphine consumption, side effects and patient satisfaction. Results: ASA I was seen in 27 in group I and 22 in group II and ASA II in 10 in group I and 15 in group II. VAS at rest was 3.2 in group I and 3.9 in group II and VAS at deep breathing was 2,4 in group I and 3.8 in group II. The mean time for PCA was 42.5 minutes in group I and 36.4 minutes in group II, hospital stays was 3.34 days in group I and 3.10 days in group II, total postoperative morphine consumption (mg) was 8.2 in group I and 8.9 in group II. PONV impact score 0 was seen in 26 in group I and 22 in group II, 1 in 7 and 10, 2 in 3 each and 3 in 1 in group I and 2 in group II. Wound complication was seen in 1 in group I and 2 in group II. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: CEI is a superior analgesic technique compared to CWI in total abdominal hysterectomy in terms of reduced pain scores.