Exploration of cancer pain treatment by morphine infusion through an embedded device

Cancer pain treatment with morphine presents particular problems in patients with renal failure needing haemodialysis. We here explore the various possibilities of intrathecal opioid administration for intractable chronic and acute cancer pain. Morphine, as the only opioid approved by the Food and Drug Agency for administration, has been increasingly utilized for this purpose. For over 3 decades, there have been numerous reports on non- nociceptive side effects associated with ever increasing long-term intrathecal morphine usage. Our review of the literature and our own experience suggests that a subarachnoid device allows good pain control effect after patient controlled intravenous infusion failure at the time of haemodialysis.