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

Eleven patients were given morphine 5 mg via an epidural catheter to provide analgesia after urologic surgery. Morphine levels were determined in serum and urine by radioimmunoassay. Cardiovascular reactions (heart rate, blood pressure) and arterial pO2 were recorded. Analgesia ensued very rapidly and lasted 29 hours on the average. For 4 hours after epidural administration, the serum morphine levels were within the range required for analgesia after intravenous injection. Side effects on the cardiovascular system and the respiratory system were not observed. Epidural morphine application is recommended as a good method for postoperative analgesia.