Early Post operative Pain Management and Early Extubation after Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery is better managed with Thoracic Epidural Analgesia

Abstract

Introduction:Coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease and the single most important cause of premature death in the developed world. 1 Surgical management of IHD is coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), which can be performed either under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or by using off-pump technique. Impairment of pulmonary function after CABG is one of the most common complications in the early postoperative period. 2 Sternotomy, pleurotomy with opening of the pleural space, harvesting of internal mammary artery and pain may lead to deterioration of post-operative pulmonary function. In addition, the incidence of concurrent chronic lung disease is higher in the age group of patients who require revascularization of the myocardium. Combined these two factors indicate a need for documentation of pulmonary function pre-and postoperatively. 3 Coronary revascularization procedure is done usually through median sternotomy incision and for this; impairment of pulmonary function is one of the most significant post-operative complications of CABG. 4 For revascularization, emphasis is given over internal mammary artery (IMA) graft. The mediastinum and thoracic cavity are traumatized more with IMA than with reverse saphenous vein graft (RSVG) procedure. Indeed, some reports have found that IMA patients have worse pulmonary functions than the RSVG patients in the postoperative period. 5 Basal atelectasis develops early during anaesthesia and may persist in the post-operative period. After surgery both respiratory muscles