Comparison of traditional and upper thoracic epidural analgesia after off‐pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A Quasi‐experimental study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Surgical trauma initiates changes in central and peripheral nervous systems that need to be treated therapeutically to facilitate postoperative pain. The quality of postoperative analgesia is expected to affect clinical outcomes positively. Albeit optimal pain relief following cardiac surgery is often complex, researchers have tried to explore several techniques other than conventional ones during the last decade to find a unique analgesic method for postcardiac surgical patients. This study aims to find a unique analgesic approach that maximizes patient satisfaction after off‐pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCABG) surgery. METHODS: The current study will compare the analgesic effect of upper thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) with conventional analgesia after OPCAB graft surgery. For this, we will use a Quasi‐experimental study design. Patients admitted for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery will be assigned into two groups. The control group (conventional) will receive intravenous opioids and nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory medications, and the study (case) group (TEA) will receive Inj. Bupivacaine 0.25% as an infusion through the epidural catheter. Physiologic parameters like hemodynamic and respiratory variables and pain scores will be recorded in predesigned format periodically. RESULTS: We expect to analyze a total of 130 consecutive off‐pump CABG surgery patients in Group A (Case, 65 patients) and Group B (Control, 65 patients). Study variables will be the visual analog scale score, hemodynamic parameters (heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and respiratory parameters (respiratory rate, PaO(2), PaCO(2), PEFR, FEV(1)). After data collection, the result will be analyzed and published in the public domain and in journals. CONCLUSION: We expect thoracic epidural analgesia with local anesthetics will be a reliable postoperative analgesic option.