[EnglischerTitel: Epidural anesthesia - complications and side effects].

Thoracic epidural anesthesia remains the gold standard of intra- and postoperative analgesia for a multitude of surgical procedures as a reliable and relatively safe procedure with a low rate of complications as long as contraindications are respected. However, if complications do occur they often result in catastrophic sequelae for the patient. Apart from the well-known side-effects and complications there are innumerous reports about procedural complications during placement and use of the catheter. Procedural complications often result in additionally required procedures and treatments, hence increasing morbidity of the affected patient. The aim of this review is to provide the reader with a current overview of the available literature with regards to classical and procedural complications.