[Postoperative analgesia with epidural morphine after hip operations (author's transl)]

80 patients undergoing hip surgery under lumbar epidural block have been studied (double blind) for postoperative analgesia. There were 4 groups, of 20 patients each, who received a single epidural injection of 0 mg, 2 mg or 4 mg morphine in 1 ml of saline added to 6 ml bupivacaine 0.5% or 4 mg morphine in 6 ml saline. In the morphine groups analgesia lasted between 37 and 50 hours. No neurological side-effects or severe respiratory depression have was observed; but a significant rise of paCO2 was found. Other side-effects were nausea/vomiting and the need for catheterisation in about 50% of patients. We conclude, that the indications for epidural analgesia with morphine have to be chosen carefully.