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Related Experiment Videos

Itching after epidural and spinal opiates.

Jane C Ballantyne1, Alan B Loach, Daniel B Carr

  • 1Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, OxfordU.K. Analgesic Peptide Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Burns Institute, Boston, MAU.S.A.

Pain
|May 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Spinal and epidural opiates can cause itching, with spinal administration leading to a 46% incidence. Understanding this opioid side effect may reveal more about opioid actions and spinal cord mechanisms.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Itching is a known side effect of opiate administration.
  • Epidural and spinal routes are used for opiate delivery, particularly for pain management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the incidence of itching associated with epidural and spinal opiate administration.
  • To explore the potential mechanisms and clinical implications of opiate-induced itching.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of 52 reports on epidural and spinal opiate use.
  • Analysis of reported incidence and characteristics of itching.

Main Results:

  • Overall incidence of itching was 8.5% for epidural opiates and 46% for spinal opiates.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Itching could be generalized or segmental, sometimes localized to the face, suggesting spinal cord involvement.
  • While often manageable with naloxone, severe cases can reduce the utility of spinal opiate analgesia.

    • Conclusions:

    • Spinal opiate-induced itching is frequent and may involve the spinal cord.
    • Further understanding of this phenomenon offers insights into opioid actions.
    • The study proposes a hypothesis to explain spinal opiate-induced itch and explores underlying mechanisms.