After informed consent had been obtained, an epidural catheter was placed in T10-11 in all patients; if difficulty was presented technically then it was placed in a higher or lower space. An epidural catheter test was carried out with 3 ml 0.75% levobupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200,000 for discarding intravascular or subarachnoideal presence. 15-20 ml of the same drug at 0.175%-0.25% with or without 75 to 100 ug phentanyl was administered 3 minutes after the test proved negative epidural phentanyl was only administered to those patients who asked for epidural analgesia during the following two postoperative days.
Posterior a la obtención del consentimiento informado, a todos los pacientes se les ubico un catéter epidural en T10-11, si técnicamente se presentaba dificultad, se colocó un espacio arriba o abajo; se realizó prueba del catéter epidural con 3 ml de levo-bupivacaina al 0,75 % con epinefrina 1:200.000 para descartar presencia intravascular o subaracnoidea, luego de 3 minutos al ser negativa la prueba se administran 15-20 ml del mismo fármaco al 0,175-0,25% con o sin fentanilo 75 a 100 ug, se administró fentanil epidural solamente en aquellos pacientes que solicitaron analgesia epidural en los siguientes dos días postoperatorios.