Comparing the effect and outcomes between general anaesthesia vs. Combined epidural and general anaesthesia in elective lumbar spine surgery: a randomized control study

Abstract

Background: The choice of anaesthesia technique in elective lumbar spine surgery significantly influences perioperative outcomes. While general anaesthesia (GA) remains the standard approach in Lumbar spine surgery, combined epidural and general anaesthesia (CEGA) has gained attention for its potential benefits. This study aims to compare the effects intraoperatively and postoperative outcomes of GA versus CEGA in patients undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on sixty four patients scheduled for elective lumbar spine surgery for over one and half years. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either GA alone or CEGA. The parameters that were observed were intraoperative vitals, isoflurane requirement, total blood loss throughout the surgery and postoperative parameters such as vitals, pain scoring scale (VAS Score), the duration at which rescue analgesic was needed and the complications were noted. Results: Preliminary findings indicate that patients in the CEGA group experienced better intraoperative hemodynamic stability in comparison to GA group. The anaesthetic agents required and loss of blood during surgery was significantly reduced in CEGA group. While in postoperative period, the pain score and the duration of first rescue analgesic required were lower in the CEGA group and also complications post surgery were less encountered. Docusign Envelope ID: 60376AD8-53C5-45F3-BCB8-6764565EA189 11

Conclusion: The use of CEGA in elective lumbar spine surgery appears to offer significant advantages over GA alone, particularly in terms of intraoperative isoflurane use, blood loss and postoperative pain management. These findings suggest that CEGA may be a preferable anaesthetic technique for lumbar spine surgery. Further research with a larger sample size is recommended to validate these results.