[Epidural block in the surgical treatment of cholelithiasis].

The article analyses surgical treatment of patients with cholelithiasis (231 persons) who were operated on with the use of a "pure" epidural block (59 patients), epidural block in combination with surface endotracheal nitrous oxide anaesthesia (100 patients), and general many--component anaesthesia (72 patients). The results show that epidural block is an effective method of neurovegetative protection of the organism from an operative trauma, provides rapid recovery of the organism for a state of operative stress, and is conducive to reduction of the number of postoperative complications. Administration of hydrocortisone and ephedrine is expedient for the prevention of arterial hypotension and its correction.