Comparison of Sufentanil and Fentanyl Added to Ropivacaine for Patient-Controlled Thoracic Epidural Analgesia

Background: The analgesic effects and side effects of epidural sufentanil and fentanyl, combined with ropivacaine, for patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA), were compared in post-thoracotomy patients. Methods: In a double blind trial, 40 patients received either sufentanil, 0.83 (group S), or fentanyl, 4 (group F), added to 0.15% ropivacaine, for PCEA following a thoracic operation. The PCEA setting was a 4 ml loading dose, 4 ml bolus dose, 4 ml/h BACKGROUND infusion and a 10 min lockout interval, at 4 bolus limit per hour, with a total volume of 300 ml. The pain scores and side effects were recorded at 6, 12 and 24 hr after the operation. Results: In group S, the analgesic efficacy was significantly higher between 12 and 24 hr after the operation than in group F (P , was administered epidurally, with 0.15% ropivacaine, the improvement in the analgesic effect was better than that for fentanyl, 4, with no significant side effects.