Intrathecal Morphine for Post-Thoracotomy Pain

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We wished to investigate possible differences in the duration of postoperative analgesia and the incidence of respiratory depression after the intrathecal injection in the lumbar area of10 μg/kg morphine in hypobaric and hyperbaric solution for relief of post-thoracotomy pain. Twenty-nine patients received morphine plus dextrose (hyperbaric) and 21 received morphine in preservative-free normal saline. The duration of analgesia was longer with the morphine in the normal saline group than in the hyperbaric group (P < 0.04). One patient developed delayed respiratory depression. Our data support the use of morphine in normal saline mixtures for greater duration of analgesia after thoracic operations.