Plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon, growth hormone (GH) and cyclic-AMP (C-AMP) were measured in 14 patients undergoing partial gastrectomy under 5 g/hr glucose loading. Seven patients received general anesthesia (GOF; Group G) and the other seven, GO + epidural anesthesia (analgesia Th4-L1; Group E). Blood glucose increased in both groups, although it remained consistently lower in Group E than in Group G. Serum IRI and IRI/glucose ratio appeared consistently higher in Group E than in Group G and a significant difference was found between the two groups at the early period of surgery. The changes in plasma glucagon and GH were found independent of those in glucose. Cyclic-AMP was also consistently higher in Group G than in Group E and a significant difference was observed at the end of anesthesia. These results suggest that epidural anesthesia with 5 g/hr glucose loading may facilitate insulin release from the islet and peripheral blood uptake particularly during the early period of surgery while many other factors such as GH, cortisol and vagal stimulation seemed to be involved in the later period of surgery.