title: Effects of epidural diamorphine on the somatosensory evoked potential to posterior tibial nerve stimulation.
abstract: We have studied the effects of the epidural administration of diamorphine 0.1 mg/kg at the L3-4 interspace on somatosensory evoked potentials in the cervical epidural space before corrective surgery for idiopathic adolescent scoliosis. A further eight patients in whom anaesthesia was maintained with a propofol infusion acted as a control group. Epidural diamorphine had no effect on the latency or amplitude of the evoked potentials. We conclude that epidural diamorphine is a suitable technique to use in scoliosis surgery because of its lack of effect on neurophysiological variables, although the potential respiratory problems need investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore, Middlesex, London.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Loughnan
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yau
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Ransford
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000502:physiology; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000187:drug effects*; D003932:Heroin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000601:surgery; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003932:Heroin