The emerging role of epidural anesthesia in arteriography and in vascular operations.

Continuous epidural anesthesia offers special advantages for patients with vascular disease. In 193 patients who had this technique employed for aortofemoral arteriography, profound pain relief was provided and the accompanying vasodilation produced superior demonstration of collateral and small distal vessels. Eleven of these patients had epidural anesthesia for major vascular reconstruction operations. This caused minimal depression of pulmonary and myocardial performance during the procedure. Postoperative epidural analgesics improved the pulmonary performance by allowing normal pain-free breathing. No epidural complications were seen. Special precautions are described for the safe use of these techniques.