Revista española de anestesiología y reanimación
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Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim · Jun 1999
Review Comparative Study[Epidural vs. intradural anesthesia in ambulatory surgery].
Spinal anesthesia is the technique of choice for many outpatient procedures. With appropriate screening and preparation, it can provide excellent surgical conditions and highly satisfactory anesthesia for the patient, while remaining cost-effective. Intradural anesthesia has advantages over epidural anesthesia: technical simplicity, rapid onset, efficacy and depth of blockade. ⋯ The drawbacks are that it takes longer to perform and onset of blockade comes later. Both techniques are valid alternatives to general anesthesia in outpatient surgery. The choice of one over the other will depend on patient characteristics, availability of a presurgical area, and the anesthesiologist's skill.