Morphine sulphate 5 mg and placebo administered epidurally after caesarean section under epidural analgesia were compared in a double-blind fashion.
Morphine was significantly superior to placebo for pain relief, duration of pain relief, and reduction of parenteral narcotic requirements. Pruritis was the most commonly encountered side-effect. There was no statistical difference between morphine and placebo in the incidence of urinary catheterisation, vomiting, nausea, dizziness or drowsiness. No serious respiratory depression requiring treatment was observed.
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BoasR.A.Hazards of epidural morphine. Anaesth Intens Care1980; 8: 377.
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TordaT.A., PybusD.A., LibermanH., ClarkeM., CrawfordM.Experimental comparison of extradural and IM morphine. Br J Anaesth1980; 52: 939.
