Efficacy of subarachnoid morphine in a community hospital.
OBJECTIVE
Two hundred seventy-five patients who underwent major surgery and received subarachnoid morphine for postoperative pain relief were prospectively studied to establish the benefits of its routine use in a community hospital.


RESULTS
Seventy-nine percent of all patients had a satisfactory analgesic-free interval of 18 hours, and postoperative analgesics were unnecessary for the first 24 hours in 56% of all patients. Pruritus developed in 26% of all patients, 16% experienced nausea, vomiting, or both, and 4% experienced urinary retention. There were no cases of respiratory depression. Ninety-two percent of all patients were managed on the medical/surgical floors without incident, and 90% of the patients were satisfied with their results.


CONCLUSIONS
It was shown that, when there are properly trained floor nurses, subarachnoid morphine (0.1-0.4 mg) can be an effective, safe, and simple method for postoperative pain control in a community hospital.
Domsky
M
M
Department of Anesthesia, Detroit Receiving Hospital, MI 48201.
Kwartowitz
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D006764:Hospitals, Community / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D009020:Morphine