Abstract:Fourty petients were included for the study of the influence of postoperative analgesia on the cardiac function in patients undersoing thoracotomy. 0. 25% bupivacaine was intermittently administered into epidural space in analgesia group (n=20) after operation. In control group (n=20), no epidural block but meperidine i. m. was used for postoperative analgesia. Results showed that no stutistical differences in cardiac function was found preoperatively and in the first 8 hours after operation between two groups (P>0.05). However obvious differences were found (P<0.05) in 16~ 24 hours postoperatively. The parameters of cardiac founction chAnged markedly (P<0.05) at 8, 16 and 24 hours postoperatively in control group, comparing to preoperative values. In analgesia group, all parameters changed significantly at 8 hours, some perameters returned to normal range at 16 hours, and all parameters but heart rate were normal at 24 hours petoperatively, comparing to the preoperative values. The results indicated that the cardiac founction did not resume to normal until 24 hours after thoracotomy in control group. The epidural administration of low concentation bupivacaine for postoperative analgesia could help the cardiac function resuming to normal as early as 16 hours postoperatively. Such analgesic method did not affect respiratory function.
