Randomized Study Comparing the Use of Epidural Analgesia to Intravenous Narcotics for Laparoscopic Colorectal Resection.

Laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LCS) has gained wide acceptance in the treatment of various pathology from diverticular disease to colon cancer. In comparison to conventional open surgery LCS has the benefits of shorter hospital stay, reduced postoperative pain, lower wound-related complication rates, better cosmetic results and earlier return to normal activities. Despite the fact that laparoscopic colorectal surgery is done through smaller incisions, there is still a considerable amount of abdominal wall trauma with these procedures. This still can cause a significant amount of postoperative discomfort, which can add to patients' stress, decreased satisfaction, and prolong length of hospital stay. Postoperative pain can be difficult to control and has been mainly managed pharmacologically with the use of narcotics and non-narcotic medications delivered through different routes. The effectiveness of pain control depends on the medication, its dosage, frequency and route of administration. The latter is mainly achieved through the intravenous route in the immediate postoperative period in laparoscopic colorectal surgery patient, as patients are restricted from having anything by mouth until return of bowel function. Another route of delivery is the use of local anesthetics as well as opioids via an epidural catheter. Epidural analgesia (EA) has the potential to offer excellent pain control and decrease the rate of postoperative ileus. Despite the extensive use of epidural anesthesia in obstetrics, to date there has been very few studies looking at the effectiveness of epidural analgesia in laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of epidural analgesia as compared to conventional analgesia on the length of hospital stay in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal procedures. The secondary objectives of the study will be to evaluate patient satisfaction, quality of life, pain control and return of bowel function in patients treated with either epidural analgesia or intravenous narcotics.