Hypoxaemia and pain relief after upper abdominal surgery: comparison of i.m. and patient-controlled analgesia.
Forty patients recovering from upper abdominal surgery were allocated randomly to receive i.m. morphine 0.15 mg kg-1 as required or patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), with i.v. morphine 1 mg and a 5-min lock out time. Arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) was measured continuously the night before and for 24 h immediately after surgery. A significantly greater proportion of patients in the PCA group (nine of 19) rated their analgesia as excellent compared with the i.m. group (two of 20) (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative hypoxaemia in the two treatment groups. Severe postoperative hypoxaemia (SpO2 < 85% for more than 6 min h-1) was seen in three patients receiving i.m. analgesia and one patient in the PCA group.
Wheatley
R G
RG
Department of Anaesthesia, York District Hospital.
Shepherd
D
D
Jackson
I J
IJ
Madej
T H
TH
Hunter
D
D
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011183:Postoperative Complications
D009020:Morphine