Comparison of epidural and intravenous opioid analgesia after elective caesarean section

Patient acceptance is a particularly relevant method of assessing currently employed epidural and intravenous techniques of opioid analgesia after elective caesarean section. We have prospectively studied 71 such patients, randomised postoperatively to receive epidural morphine, intravenous morphine or intravenous pethidine. When compared with either intravenous opioid, epidural morphine provided twofold better average or excellent analgesia with 30% less drowsiness but with about 50% more pruritus. In spite of this troublesome complication, more patients (83% vs 74%) preferred epidural to intravenous opioid analgesia.