Spinal and Local Anesthetics Shorten EVAR Length of Stay

A study published in the Nov. 2011 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery showed that using spinal and local anesthesia instead of general anesthesia may decrease post-operative length of stay and limit post-operative complications for EVAR patients, according to a Cardiovascular Business report.

According to the report, endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms was introduced in 1990 to offer a lower-risk alternative to traditional open surgical repair. EVAR has been proven to reduce certain classes of morbidity and hospital length of stay, with conflicting results regarding reductions in early-term and long-term mortality rates.

This study assessed the outcomes of EVAR repair using anesthesia care — general, spinal, epidural and local/monitored anesthesia. The study found that general anesthesia was associated with an increased in pulmonary morbidity compared with spinal anesthesia or local/MAC anesthesia. Local/MAC and spinal anesthesia techniques were able to reduce length of stay by 10 percent to 20 percent, respectively.

Related Articles on Anesthesia:
Somnia Anesthesia's CMO Comments on Misconceptions of Propofol
Piramal Healthcare Settles Patent Litigation With Baxter Over Anesthetic
ASA: Anesthesiologists Have Limited Role in ACOs

© Copyright ASC COMMUNICATIONS 2012. Interested in LINKING to or REPRINTING this content? View our policies by clicking here.