Contribution of epidural anesthesia and general anesthesia to colon surgery

The authors, having clinically observed favourable post operative effects on patients operated under combined general and epidural anaesthesia in digestive surgery, have proceeded to a retrospective and comparative study of the last 50 colic resections. They have observed: a +/- 50% reduction of the quantity of morphine used; a +/- 50% reduction of the time required for peristaltic resumption; a +/- 50% reduction of the time required for gastric intubation thereby contributing to carefree post-operation effects in colic surgery where a series of known complications are usually to be expected. They are of opinion that the benefit of epidural anaesthesia is due essentially to the preponderance of the para sympathetic nervous system allowing the release of some hormones with intestinal tropism as well as the disappearance of the negative action of the splanchnic vaso-constriction.