[Experience with the Du Pen epidural catheter in chronic cancer pain]

We evaluate the results obtained with the use of Du Pen's epidural catheter in a series of patients with chronic oncologic pain. There were 27 patients with neoplasms of different etiologies who received a total number of 30 catheters. Inclusion criteria were established. All patients received bolus of morphine chloride free of conservers. Follow-up controls were carried out at least every week and consisted on the evaluation the dosage efficacy, dose adjustments, catheter condition, physical activity, neurologic state, and requirements of adjuvant medication. The documented use of the 30 catheters implanted in this study lasted up to 1452 days with a mean of 48.5 days. There were no complications related to catheter insertion. However we observed complications related to the use of the catheter: reflow at the site of catheter implantation in 4 cases, infection of the external (one case) and internal (one case) catheter route without antibiotic resolution, and infection of the epidural space responding to antibiotherapy without catheter withdrawal in one patient. Twenty patients died. Mortality was not attributed to catheter complications in any case. The present study confirms that placement of the catheter is technically easy and provides an efficacious opiate analgesia with minimal complications.