scholarly journals Definitions of “respiratory depression” with intrathecal morphine postoperative analgesia: a review of the literature

2003 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 679-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Ko ◽  
David H. Goldstein ◽  
Elizabeth G. VanDenKerkhof
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 331-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Rebel, MD ◽  
Paul Sloan, MD ◽  
Michael Andrykowski, PhD

Background and methods: Intrathecal opioids (ITOs) have been used for decades to control postoperative pain. Intrathecal opioid dosing is limited, however, by opioid-related side effects, most importantly respiratory depression. To overcome these limitations, we combined intrathecal morphine with a continuous intravenous (IV) postoperative naloxone infusion to control opioid-related side effects. The purpose of this study is to document the efficacy and safety of high-dose intrathecal morphine combined with postoperative naloxone infusion to provide postoperative analgesia after major surgery. After IRB approval, a retrospective chart analysis was performed on 35 patients who had a radical prostatectomy from 2004 to 2006. All patients received a single injection of ITOs before anesthesia, a typical general anesthestic, followed by naloxone infusion at 5 μg/kg/h started 1 hour post-ITOs and continued for 22 hours postoperatively. The following information was collected: patient age, height, weight, anesthesia technique/time, and dose of ITOs given. Postoperative pain relief was assessed for 48 hours using the Visual Analog Score (VAS) for pain (0, no pain; 10, worst pain), perioperative opioid use, NSAID consumption, and ability of patient to ambulate. The safety of this novel treatment was assessed with opioid-related side effects and vital signs. All data are reported as mean (SD).Results: Mean ITOs given were morphine 1.3 (0.3) mg combined with fentanyl 56 (9) μg. The intrathecal morphine dose ranged from 0.8 to 1.7 mg. The mean worst pain VAS in the first 12 hours postoperatively was only 1.0 (1.7). The first NSAID dose was given 6.6 (3.1) hours post-ITOs. The first opioid on the floor was given an average of 22.6 (14.5) hours post-ITOs. A mean of only 5.7 (12.3) morphine equivalents were required on postoperative day 1 (POD 1). On POD 2, the mean worst pain VAS was only 2.6 (2.2) with only 5.7 (6.2) morphine equivalents needed to provide pain relief. On POD 1, 25 patients required no additional opioids for their entire hospital stay. Overall, 11 of 35 patients did not require any additional postoperative opioids. Thirtyfour patients (97 percent) were able to ambulate in the first 12 hours postoperatively. No opioid-induced respiratory depression was observed. Opioid-related side effects (pruritus, nausea) were infrequent and minor.Conclusions: High-dose ITOs combined with postoperative IV naloxone infusion provided excellent analgesia for radical prostate surgery. IV naloxone infusion appeared to control opioid side effects without diminishing the analgesia. No serious adverse effects were noted.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gülsen Keskin ◽  
Mine Akın ◽  
Yeşim Şenaylı ◽  
Can İhsan Öztorun ◽  
Melike Bahçecitapar

Acute Pain ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamer Riad ◽  
Brian Williams ◽  
Jamie Musson ◽  
Bob Wheatley

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Yen ◽  
Kim Turner ◽  
David Mark

BACKGROUND: Several studies addressing intrathecal morphine (ITM) use following spine surgery have been published either involving the pediatric population, using mid- to high-dose ITM, or not in conjunction with morphine patient-controlled analgesia (PCA).OBJECTIVES: To determine whether low-dose ITM is a useful adjunct to PCA for postoperative pain control following elective lumbar spine surgery in adults.METHODS: Thirty-two patients were enrolled in a double-blinded randomized controlled trial, and received either ITM or intrathecal placebo. Postoperatively, all patients were given a PCA pump and observed for the first 24 h in a step-down unit. Measurements of: total PCA morphine consumed in the first 24 h; intensity of pain; pruritus; nausea at 4 h, 8 h and 24 h; time to first ambulation; length of hospital stay; and occurrences of respiratory depression were recorded.RESULTS: The total PCA use was significantly lower in the ITM group. There were lower average pain scores in the ITM group, which increased to that of the intrathecal placebo group over 24 h; however, this failed to attain statistical significance. There were no differences in nausea, pruritus, time to first ambulation or hospital length stay. There were no cases of respiratory depression in either group.CONCLUSIONS: ITM may be a useful adjunct to PCA, but did not decrease time to ambulation or length of stay.


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