BACKGROUND: This study compared the efficacy and safety of 3 different anesthesia techniques used in total hip arthroplasty (THA).

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We allocated 198 patients preparing to undertake THA into 3 groups: general anesthesia group (GA group, n=66), caudal epidural anesthesia group (CEA group, n=66), and spinal-epidural anesthesia group (SEA group, n=66). We compared postoperative adverse effects occurring in patients of the 3 anesthesia groups. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score, Minimum Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, and β-amyloid (Aβ) expression were calculated to determine the effects of different anesthesia on the postoperative pain and cognitive dysfunction of patients.

RESULTS: The CEA and SEA groups had lower rates of perioperative adverse effects than in the GA group. Patients in the GA group required significantly higher administration of analgesics after the surgery than those in CEA and SEA groups. Higher Aβ expression levels and VAS scores, as well as lower MMSE scores, were also seen in the GA group compared with the other 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS: CEA and SEA were more effective than GA in THA, and CEA seemed to be a better anesthesia technique than SEA.

Keywords: Anesthesia, Epidural, Anesthesia, General, Anesthesia, Spinal, Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip