An Occasional Segment Presenting Reports of Clinical Investigation and Experience in the Pacific Island Region

Abstract

In order to introduce the technique 0/ epidural narcotics/or pain relie/in Papua New Guinea,fifty patients were given low doses 0/ epidural morphine and thereupon the quality 0/ analgesia and morbidity evaluated. The lowest effective epidural morphine dose was determined by considering the patient's characteristics and height 0/ surgical incision. Pain relie/ was provided /or three postoperative days in the surgical or gynaecological wards. The quality 0/ analgesia thus provided was excellent in all the patients with no incidence 0/ clinically significant respiratory depression or hypotension. Minor complications such as nausea, vomiting, pruritis and retention 0/ urine were also relatively uncommon.