Randomized clinical trial of local infiltration plus patient-controlled opiate analgesia vs. epidural analgesia following liver resection surgery.

Objectives: Epidural analgesia is recommended for the provision of analgesia following major abdominal surgery. Continuous local anaesthetic wound infiltration may be an effective alternative. A prospective randomized trial was undertaken to compare these two methods following open liver resection.

Factors in perioperative care that determine blood loss in liver surgery.

Objectives: Excessive blood loss during liver surgery contributes to postoperative morbidity and mortality and the minimizing of blood loss improves outcomes. This study examines pre- and intraoperative factors contributing to blood loss and identifies areas for improvement.

Methods: All patients who underwent elective hepatic resection between June 2007 and June 2009 were identified.

Effectiveness of epidural analgesia following open liver resection.

Objectives: Epidural analgesia is often considered the reference standard for pain relief following major abdominal surgery; however, the provision of analgesia in the context of liver surgery raises unique challenges. This study investigated the effectiveness of analgesia and the postoperative course of patients who did or did not receive epidural analgesia following liver resection.

Methods: Data were collected retrospectively on 177 patients who underwent open liver resection between June 2007 and June 2009.