title: Postoperative epidural morphine for postpartum tubal ligation analgesia.
abstract: Women undergoing postoperative postpartum tubal ligation (PPTL) often experience considerable pain. We hypothesized that epidural morphine, as part of a multi-modal analgesic regimen, would decrease postoperative pain and the need for systemic analgesia after PPTL. In a double-blinded study, patients were randomized to receive epidural saline or morphine 2 mg, 3 mg, or 4 mg after epidural anesthesia for PPTL. Postoperatively, ibuprofen 600 mg was administered every 6 h and patients could request acetaminophen 325 mg/hydrocodone 10 mg. The primary outcome variable was time to first request for supplemental analgesia. Verbal rating scores for pain and the incidence and severity of side effects were recorded for 24 h. Morphine group subjects requested supplemental analgesia later and received fewer doses compared with the saline group subjects. Peak cramping and incisional verbal rating scores for pain and the area under the verbal rating scores for pain x time curve for cramping pain were less after epidural morphine compared with saline, but there were no differences among morphine groups. Nausea, vomiting, and pruritus occurred more often in all morphine groups and subjects who received morphine 4 mg required treatment for these side effects more frequently than the saline or morphine 2 mg groups. In conclusion, epidural morphine 2 mg as part of a multi-modal analgesic regimen improved analgesia and decreased the need for supplemental analgesics after PPTL. The need to treat side effects with morphine 2 mg was not increased compared to a regimen of oral acetaminophen/opioid/nonsteroidal antiinflammatory analgesics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: R-Jay L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehor
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yaghmour
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006853:Hydrocodone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013246:Sterilization, Tubal
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000082:Acetaminophen; D006853:Hydrocodone; D009020:Morphine; D007052:Ibuprofen