Nalbuphine after major gynecologic surgery. Comparison of patient-controlled analgesia and intramuscular injections.
A randomized investigation compared the efficacy and safety of nalbuphine administered by two methods, a patient-controlled infuser system and intramuscular (IM) injections, after major gynecologic surgery. Forty-seven patients were randomly assigned to receive nalbuphine by either method. The 22 patients using the infuser were given a 2.0-mg, incremental dose with a 10-minute lock-out interval between doses. A similar group receiving 10-15 mg IM every three hours served as the control. Misprogramming, overdosage, depressed respiration and drug dependence were not encountered. Self-administration provided equally satisfactory sedation and more immediate pain relief without painful injections. Although patients with the infuser had the ability to self-administer more medication, they did not use higher doses of nalbuphine than did the IM group. The additional cost of the infuser system was offset by the satisfaction expressed by the patients and by the improved nursing efficiency. Nalbuphine administered with a patient-controlled infuser provided an effective balance between analgesia and sedation and offered advantages over IM injections.
Woods
M P
MP
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha.
Rayburn
W F
WF
McIntosh
D G
DG
Scott
J C
JC
Smith
M L
ML
Anderson
J R
JR
D000328:Adult; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D008875:Middle Aged; D009266:Nalbuphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*
D009266:Nalbuphine