Effects of Continuous Epidural Anesthesia and Postoperative Epidural Analgesia on Pain Management and Stress Response in Patients Undergoing Major Spinal Surgery

Combined epidural/general anesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia produced better pain control, less bleeding, and a lower surgical stress response than general anesthesia with postoperative systemically administered narcotic analgesia. This technique deserves further study in the setting of major spinal surgery.