EPIDURALLY ADMINISTERED MORPHINE FOR POST-CESAREAN ANALGESIA

Abstract

A double-blind study was performed to evaluate analgesia from epidurally injected morphine sulfate in 30 mothers after cesarean section following similar regional anesthetics. When compared with a saline placebo and 2 mg of epidural morphine, a 4.5 mg epidural morphine dose resulted in a highly significant reduction in the initial 24 h parenterally administered narcotic requirement, P L 0.001, and a significantly greater duration of analgesia after epidural injection, P < 0.0003. The mean duration of analgesia following 4.5 mg epidural morphine sulfate was 26.7 .+-. 4.72 h. A 2 mg epidural dose reduced the initial 24 h narcotic requirement, P < 0.05, but the duration of analgesia did not significantly differ from that of placebo injection. No significant side-effects were noted. Epidural morphine may be a potent analgesic approach of extended duration with potential advantages for early material mobilization, improved fetal maternal interaction and reduced fetal narcotic exposure in the breast-fed infant.