Laparoscopic gastrostomy under awake thoracic epidural anesthesia: A successful experience.

General anesthesia is the first choice as an anesthesia method particularly for abdominal operations. However, because neuromuscular blockade induced during general anesthesia will increase atelectasis in a patient with pulmonary disease, it will also increase postoperative ventilator dependence, which will be even more apparent in cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that pose a risk, particularly for postoperative complications. Herein, thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) was found to be a better option for our patient with severe COPD and stage IV lung cancer, as it provided sufficient anesthesia and better postoperative care for laparoscopic gastrostomy.