Huepenbecker SP, et al. - In this retrospective cohort study, researchers compared the incidence of postoperative complications and the use of opioid pain medication in patients with gynecologic oncology who had and had not received an epidural prior to exploratory laparotomy. Between January 2012 and October 2015, patients undergoing exploratory laparotomy with the gynecologic oncology division at Washington University in St Louis were included. Investigators found that patients with epidurals had shorter hospital length of stay, no difference in hospital readmission or incidence of venous thromboembolism up to 90 days postoperatively, longer duration of Foley catheter with no difference in postoperative urinary tract infection, increased incidence of postoperative hypotension, and lower incidence of wound complications. Findings revealed that perioperative epidurals used in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery associated with reduced postoperative opioid use, increased use of non-opioid pain medications, and postoperatively improved pain relief with acceptable postoperative risks and should be the standard treatment for these patients.