Fig. 2. Intercapillary area between all perfused capillaries (ICAtotal; A ) and continuously perfused capillaries only (ICAcont; B ) 15 h after induction of acute pancreatitis. Data are mean ± SEM. ( A ) In untreated pancreatitis (PANC), loss of perfused capillaries in the mucosa was reflected by an increase in the intercapillary area (# P < 0.05 vs. Sham). This sign of microcirculatory derangement was not affected by thoracic epidural analgesia in the epidural analgesia (EPI) and delayed EPI groups. ( B ) In PANC, the number of continuously perfused capillaries was reduced, reflected by a more than twofold increase in ICAcont(# P < 0.05 vs. Sham). Thoracic epidural analgesia almost completely maintained continuous capillary perfusion when applied as immediate treatment (EPI) as well as after delayed initiation of treatment (delayed EPI) (* P < 0.05 vs. PANC).