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Epidural Droperidol and Morphine for Postoperative Pain

Department of Anesthesiology, Klinik am Rosenberg, Heiden, Switzerland; the Department of Anesthesiology, University of Ulm, Federal Republic of Germany; and the Hematology-Oncology Unit, Department of Medicine C, Kantonsspital, St. Gallen, Switzerland.

Abstract

Epidural morphine is effective in the treatment Of Postoperative pain, but the incidence of associated side effects is high. To assess a potential reduction of opioid side effects by droperidol, 4 mg morphine with either placebo or 2.5 mg droperidol was injected epidurally in a double-blind, randomized, postoperative trial. Forty patients undergoing hip replacement surgery were studied. The overall incidence of side effects during the first 24 h in the group receiving droperidol and morphine was less than 50% of that in the group receiving placebo and morphine (P < 0.008). Pruritus, emesis, nausea, urinary retention, and hypotension were diminished in the group with droperidol. No significant differences in duration or quality of analgesia were seen, Epidural injection of droperidol did not result in any local or systemic side effects.

Key Words: PAIN, POSTOPERATIVE—epidural droperidol, morphine • ANESTHETIC TECHNIQUES, EPIDURAL—droperidol, morphine • ANESTHETICS, INTRAVENOUS—droperidol • ANALGESICS, MORPHINE

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