51 patients who were selected for aorto-bifemoral bypass operation (infrarenal aortic aneurysm, iliac or iliofemoral occlusive disease) were randomized into two groups. 26 patients were operated on under neuroleptanaesthesia and 25 patients had a continuous thoracic epidural, which was supplemented with a light general anaesthesia during the operation. All patients were optimally volume loaded prior to surgery. The most marked haemodynamic alterations (tachycardia, arterial hypertension, increase of cardiac index, left ventricular stroke work index and cardiac minute work) were provoked by eventration of the gut. In the epidural group, these changes were attenuated and in contrast to the neuroleptanaesthesia group, there were a few patients who had a serious fall in blood pressure. These reactions were regularly accompanied by a generalized flush which led to the hypothesis that they were caused by the release of intestinal hormones, reactive peptides and neurotransmitters, from the mechanically irritated gut. Clamping of the aorta was relatively uneventful. Heart rate and cardiac index decreased in both groups but mean arterial pressure and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure remained stable. Systemic vascular resistance increased slightly in the neuroleptanaesthesia, but not in the epidural group. Declamping was followed by significant but transient falls in systemic vascular resistance and arterial pressure in both groups, despite sufficient volume loading before opening the clamp. In the neuroleptanaesthesia group these changes spontaneously returned to normal; in the epidural group 6 patients received vasopressors or positive inotropic drugs. These results indicate the following: Epidural anaesthesia prevents hypertension and tachycardia and lowers cardiac minute work. Eventration of the gut, acute blood losses and declamping of the aorta may be critical situations, which can lead to profound hypotension. Under neuroleptanaesthesia eventration of the gut is followed by tachycardia and hypertension whereas blood losses and declamping are not as critical as when an epidural is used. Only experienced anaesthetists should use epidural anaesthesia for aortic surgery. An intensive monitoring of haemodynamic function during this form of anaesthesia is mandatory.