Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 27, 2026

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)
14:56

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)

Published on: January 27, 2010

Long-term epidural morphine analgesia

L Mandaus, R Blomberg, E Hammar

    Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica. Supplementum
    |January 1, 1982
    PubMed

    Insights

    Subcutaneous tunnelling of epidural catheters offers a solution for long-term malignant pain management, reducing infection risks. This technique allowed one patient to receive epidural morphine for 207 days without complications.

    Area of Science:

    • Pain Management
    • Neurosurgery
    • Infectious Disease

    Background:

    • Long-term epidural morphine for malignant pain presents challenges like infection and catheter fixation.
    • Maintaining patient hygiene with indwelling epidural catheters is difficult.

    Observation:

    • A technique involving subcutaneous tunnelling of the epidural cannula was developed.
    • Two patient case histories utilizing this technique were reviewed.

    Findings:

    • The subcutaneous tunnelling method effectively addresses technical issues associated with long-term epidural catheter use.
    • One patient experienced no complications during 207 days of continuous epidural morphine treatment via a tunnelled cannula.

    Implications:

    • Subcutaneous tunnelling may improve the safety and feasibility of long-term epidural analgesia for cancer pain.
    • This technique could enhance patient quality of life by enabling prolonged pain relief with fewer interventions.

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