Epidural vs patient-controlled analgesia for postoperative pain after pectus excavatum repair: a prospective, randomized trial.

Abstract

Management of postoperative pain is a challenge after the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum. Pain is usually managed by either a thoracic epidural or patient-controlled analgesia with intravenous narcotics. We conducted a prospective, randomized trial to evaluate the relative merits of these 2 pain management strategies.