title: A comparison of patient controlled epidural pethidine versus single dose epidural morphine for analgesia after caesarean section.
abstract: This double-blind, randomized study of analgesia after caesarean section compared patient controlled epidural analgesia with pethidine (15 mg of a 0.25% solution and a 10 minute lockout period) versus a single bolus of epidural morphine 4 mg. Data were collected on 78 patients at 2, 6, 8, and 24 hours postoperatively and analysed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Satisfactory analgesia and nausea/vomiting during the first twenty-four hours did not differ between the two groups. The incidence of pruritus (P < 0.001) was lower in the pethidine group at 2, 6, and 8 hours, with no difference by 24 hours. Therefore PCEA pethidine provides a useful alternative to single-dose morphine after caesarean section, particularly in those patients who have suffered severe morphine-induced pruritus previously.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Redcliffe Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fanshawe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002585:Cesarean Section; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008614:Meperidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine; D008614:Meperidine