An evaluation of the effects of a service change from epidurals to rectus sheath catheters on postoperative pain

Abstract

Epidurals are frequently used as part of multi-modal perioperative analgesia. They are widely accepted as providing excellent pain relief but are associated with side-effects, have a significant failure rate and can limit a patient's mobility. We report on our use of rectus sheath catheters (RSCs), in conjunction with intravenous opiate via patient controlled analgesia (PCA), as a means of providing analgesia post-laparotomy for gynaecological oncological patients. Our experience is that this offers an alternative method of providing equivalent analgesia, avoiding the risks associated with epidural use and possibly has a role in reducing length of patient stay, although this requires further investigation.

Keywords::

• Analgesia
• epidural
• rectus sheath catheters

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ERRATUM

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, and NA and PD as individuals, have a commercial relationship with Mediplus in developing a clinical device for placement of rectus sheath catheters.