EPIDURAL MORPHINE ANALGESIA AFTER CESAREAN DELIVERY

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 63  (3) , 409-413
Abstract
The effectiveness and safety of 5 mg of epidural morphine for postoperative analgesia was determined in 276 healthy women undergoing cesarean delivery. Overall pain relief, time to adminstration of additional analgesic medications and adverse side effects were evaluated. Epidural morphine 5 mg provided good to excellent pain relief lasting 24-36 h for 83% of patients. Review of hospital records for a subset of 34 patients revealed that requirements for additional systemic analgesics were markedly less when postoeprative pain relief was provided by epidural administration of morphine than by conventional analgesia therapy. Pruritus, nausea and vomiting occurred frequently, but were easily treated. Although late respiratory depression did not occur in this group, patients were observed closely and respiratory rates monitored for 24 h.