Epidural morphine for postherpetic neuralgia

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: Eleven patients with established postherpetic neuralgia, unresponsive to antidepressant therapy, entered this single‐blind, placebo‐controlled study to assess the effectiveness of epidural morphine in the control of the pain of postherpetic neuralgia. Two patients obtained a reduction in pain of greater than 50% following morphine 0.5 mg. The duration of this pain relief was 36 h in one patient and 72 h in the other. Repeated doses, however, were ineffective in one patient and resulted in intolerable side effects in the other. The other six patients who received morphine developed oploid‐related side effects without pain relief. Three patients did not receive morphine as they gained significant, long‐lasting pain relief from placebo. Two retained that benefit for more than 6 months. Epidural morphine is more likely to produce side effects than pain relief when administered to patients with postherpetic neuralgia.