Common Inflammatory Markers and Outcome After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery With High Thoracic Epidural Anesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Study.

High thoracic epidural analgesia (HTEA) plays a pivotal role in reducing stress and neuroendocrine response in cardiac surgeries. The primary objective is to assess the effect of HTEA, in pediatric cardiac surgery, on inflammatory markers (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α). The secondary objectives are to assess its effect on various organ systems, that is, pulmonary (PaO2, P/F ratio), renal (Creatinine clearance, somatic near infrared spectroscopy [NIRS], serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin values), cardiac (cardiac index, serum Trop-I, and lactate levels), mechanical ventilation duration, and length of stay in hospital (LOS). The study included 188 pediatric patients, who underwent, on-pump cardiac surgery randomized into the Epidural Group (n = 92) and Non-Epidural Group (n = 96). After general anesthesia, a 23 G epidural catheter was placed at the T4-5 level with a Bupivacaine infusion while the Non-epidural Group received fentanyl infusion. Blood samples were collected at four-time points, T0(preop), T1(4 h), and on the first and second postoperative days (T2 and T3). The inflammatory markers were reduced, while the outcomes variables of mechanical ventilation (MV) duration had lower values in the epidural group (19.5 h vs 47.3 h,  = .002). LOS was shorter (10.1 days vs 13.3 days,  = .016). pO2, PF ratio, and renal NIRS values were better in the Epidural Gp, while other parameters were comparable. Non-epidural Gp had more complications esp. Acute kidney injury requires RRT. HTEA use in pediatric, on-pump cardiac surgery offers a favorable profile in terms of reduction in the inflammatory markers and positive effect on the organ systems with lesser MV duration and the LOS.