[Intrathecal morphine administration in pain therapy following extensive gynecologic operations. Clinical study]

Experiences with intrathecal morphine analgesia in 36 patients undergoing Wertheim-Held hysterectomy are reported. Postoperative painrelief, bloodgas-parameters (pO2, pCO2, pH, SBE, SAT), analgetica demand, side-effects are compared with 23 patients of a control group. 95% of patients with intrathecal morphine analgesia were postoperatively without pain for at least 24 hours. The postoperative demand of analgetic drugs could be reduced to less than 50% in the first 48 postoperative hours. Besides not significant decreasing of the pH-value no changing of the bloodgases was observed. The incidence of nausea, vomiting and headache were not increased. Considering the not in all cases avoidable development of a respiration insufficiency even after a little dosis of morphine this method seems to be a suitable treatment of postoperative pain which enables the early mobilisation of the patients.