Use of thoracic epidural anaesthesia for coronary artery bypass grafting

Cardiac sympathetic blockade in experimental settings show beneficial effects on blood flow redistribution after myocardial infarction and functional recovery following myocardial ischaemia. This aim can be achieved by TEA without jeopardizing systemic haemodynamics. In patients, thoracic epidural anaesthesia (TEA) demonstrates potential benefit for the perioperative management for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Perioperative sympathetic blockade of the cardiac nerves and an effective postoperative analgesia seem to be the key for suppression of the perioperative hormonal stress response, which has a favourable impact on cardiac morbidity in this patient group.