Patient-controlled analgesia with a mixture of morphine and droperidol.
In a prospective study, 50 women who had undergone uncomplicated abdominal hysterectomy under general anaesthesia were allocated randomly to receive patient-controlled analgesia with either morphine alone or a mixture of morphine and droperidol. Bolus doses of morphine 1 mg and droperidol 0.05 mg were used with a lockout time of 5 min. During the first 24 h after surgery the mean (range) dose of droperidol in the droperidol group was 3.2 (1.9-6.0) mg. Significantly fewer patients in the droperidol group felt nauseated (P < 0.01) and significantly fewer vomited (P < 0.001). In the morphine alone group, 19 patients required additional antiemetic therapy, whereas in the droperidol group only one patient found this necessary (P < 0.001). Extrapyramidal side effects were not observed in any patient. Significantly more patients were of the opinion that PCA had provided excellent analgesia when droperidol had been used (P < 0.01).
Macclesfield District General Hospital, Cheshire.
S K
SK
Sharma
M W
MW
Davies
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D004329:Droperidol; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine; D009325:Nausea / Q000517:prevention & control; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014839:Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control
D009020:Morphine; D004329:Droperidol