Double epidural catheter technique in a patient with severe COPD undergoing major abdominal surgery: A case report

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) leads to the development of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC), such as atelectasis, pneumonia and respiratory failure. The use of epidural anesthesia, alone or combined with general anesthesia, is known to reduce the incidence of PPC and shorten tracheal intubation time. In major procedures involving both the lower and upper abdomen, central neuraxial block at a single level may be inadequate to provide sufficient metameric extension of anesthesia. This limitation could be overcome with the use of double epidural catheter (DEC), has proved effective in diverse surgical scenarios.