Summary:
Objectives: To find out if combined general anaesthesia
(GA) with high thoracic epidural anaesthesia (HTEA)
was better in controlling haemodynamic condition and
reducing incidences of arrhythmia during induction of
GAand during positioning and handling of the heart itself
by the surgeons. Materials and Method: Forty (40)
patients of 40-65 yrs age were randomly selected and
divided in two groups (group A, n= 20: combined HTEA
and GA- study group, group B, n= 20: GA alone- control
group). Group A received HTEA introduced through an
indwelling epidural catheter at C7-T1 or T1-T2
interspace. Lignocaine (1%) 5 ml and Bupivacain (0.25%)
5ml with Fentanyl 10 mg was given through the catheter
as bolus followed by Bupivacain (0.25%) 5ml with
Fentanyl 10 mg was given at 2 hours interval. General
anaesthesia was induced and maintained in a
standardized manner for all patients of both the groups.