Comparison of epidural anesthesia and intravenous self-control analgesia on postoperative recovery quality in duodenectomy

Figure 1 Pulmonary complications. Significantly lower rates across all categories for the epidural anesthesia group compared to the intravenous patient-controlled analgesia group: Overall complications: 11.9% vs 23.8% (^aP = 0.042); pneumonia: 4.8% vs 11.9% (^aP = 0.038); Atelectasis: 8.3% vs 17.9% (^aP = 0.022); pleural effusion: 7.1% vs 15.5% (^aP = 0.046); respiratory function parameters. Better outcomes in the epidural anesthesia group: Higher SpO₂ levels: 95.8% vs 93.6% (^aP < 0.001); better forced expiratory volume in 1 second values: 68.5% vs 52.4% of preoperative values (^aP < 0.001); shorter supplemental oxygen therapy: 1.6 days vs 2.8 days (^aP < 0.001); lower respiratory depression rates: 2.4% vs 6.0% (^aP = 0.246, not statistically significant). EA: Epidural anesthesia; IVPCA: Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia; FEV1: Forced expiratory volume in 1 second.