VENTILATORY FUNCTION DURING EPIDURAL ANALGESIA
Open Access
- 1 January 1963
- journal article
- Published by Elsevier in British Journal of Anaesthesia
- Vol. 35 (1) , 3-7
- https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/35.1.3
Abstract
Certain aspects of ventilatory function were studied before and after induction of high epidural analgesia in patients with normal and diseased respiratory systems. The changes in tidal volume, minute volume and vital capacity in both groups were small. Somewhat greater reductions in peak expiratory flow rate were observed but it is unlikely that the ability to cough is much impaired during epidural block. It is concluded that no important degree of respiratory paralysis is present during epidural block. The value of epidural analgesia for patients with poor pulmonary function and in the relief of postoperative pain is discussed.Keywords
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