Long-term epidural pain relief using a totally implantable access system.
The majority of cancer patients at the terminal stage experience pain as a major symptom, and less than 60% of patients receive adequate pain relief. To relieve this symptom we have placed epidural catheters and attached them to an implantable access system. On this method the patients required 0.4-3.5 mg of morphine per hour with occasional boluses. Catheter life span ranged from 15 to 157 days with an average of 57 days.
Denobile
J
J
Department of Surgery, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20814.
Chester
W
W
Etienne
H B
HB
Ghosh
B C
BC
D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*
D009020:Morphine