Patients-Controlled Epidural Analgesia After Gastric Bypass for Morbid Obesity Using Morphine-Levobupivacaine Regimens

Adequate postoperative analgesia can facilitate recovery following gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity. The efficacy and safety of intravenous patient - controlled analgesia has been studied, but up to date no data are available concerning the use of thoracic epidural patient-controlled analgesia regarding the use of levobupivacaine combined with morphine in morbidly obese patients. The investigators' aim in this prospective, randomized, double-blinded study was to compare the analgesic effectiveness, the dose requirements and side effects of thoracic epidural patient controlled analgesia 0.1% and 0.2% levobupivacaine combined with a continuous epidural administration of morphine, with or without a loading dose, after open gastric bypass for morbid obesity.