Epidural anesthesia has been found to manipulate the hyperglycemic response to surgery. It is unclear, however, whether the preoperative metabolic status of the surgical patient plays a role in the degree of this hyperglycemic response. For instance, the presence of low insulin sensitivity before surgery could predispose the individual to an altered metabolic response after surgery. In this case, it would be appropriate to identify adequate interventions that attenuate the response to surgical stress and facilitate the recovery process. The aims of this research projects are the following: 1. To determine the extent in which epidural local anesthetics, initiated before surgery and continued after surgery, improves insulin secretion in patients with preoperative low insulin sensitivity. 2. To understand which measures of postoperative recovery are sensitive to the restoration of insulin secretion in this particular group of patients
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
30
Patients will be randomized to receive either epidural or general anesthesia for pain management throughout their surgery.
Montreal General Hospital
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp
The Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp is the gold standard for measuring insulin sensitivity. Patients receive a 2 hour infusion of glucose and insulin, which is adjusted throughout the study period in order to maintain a blood glucose concentration at 5.5mmol/L. The test will take place one week before surgery and on the second postoperative day.
Time frame: up to 2 days after surgery
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