Comparative evaluation of subarachnoid morphine & pethidine for post-operative analgesia
Nag, S.; Gode, G.R.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 79: 818-823
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 6519707 Document Number: 226276
Three groups of 20 patients each undergoing surgical operations below the level of the umbilicus were studied. All patients were premedicated with injection of diazepam 0.2 mg/kg body weight. Patients in group I received subarachnoid 1 mg sterile morphine sulfate in 2 ml N saline along with 1% heavy bupivacaine in lumbar space whereas in group II 6 mg pethidine in 2 ml N saline along with bupivacaine and in group III (control group) only the local anesthetic and N saline (2 ml) were injected. The single, subarachnoid injection in group I not only produced effective surgical anesthesia but also resulted in prolonged, effective and safe post-operative analgesia of a mean duration of 26.45 h whereas in group II it was 7.8 h and in group III only 3.6 h. The vital parameters, quality of pain relief and the problems associated were compared in the 3 groups. Only 1 patient in group I had delayed respiratory depression. Significantly, incidence of urinary retention, which was transient in nature resolving spontaneously in 8-10 h, was similar in the morphine and pethidine groups as compared to the control group, though pethidine offered much less analgesia, in terms of both duration and in quality, than morphine.