SINGLE INJECTION SPINAL ANAESTHESIA WITH AMETHOCAINE AND MORPHINE FOR TRANSURETHERAL PROSTATECTOMY

Abstract

The intrathecal administration of amethocaine plus morphine as an anesthetic technique for providing surgical anesthesia and postoperative analgesia was evaluated in 24 patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate. The efficacy of the technique was compared with that observed following spinal anesthesia with amethocaine alone. Twelve patients (group I) received spinal anesthesia with amethocaine 12-14 mg and a further 12 patients (group II) received spinal anesthesia with amethocaine 12-14 mg plus morphine 1 mg. In group II the addition of morphine 1 mg to the amethocaine produced excellent surgical anesthesia and postoperative analgesia, and these patients had significantly less postoperative pain than the patients who received amethocaine alone. There was a high frequency of side effects associated with intrathecal morphine in group II, e.g., subtle respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting and pruritus.