[General anesthesia vs perimedullary anesthesia].

Perimedullary anesthetic techniques (epidural or spinal anesthesia), by themselves or combined with general anesthesia offer several advantages in the postoperative period when compared with general anesthesia alone. The incidence of postoperative respiratory and cardiovascular complications is decreased. The physiologic stress reaction, with its associated hypercoagulable state and immune depression, is attenuated.