[Peridural morphine or intravenous patient-controlled (PCA) morphine: which is the best choice?]

Postoperative analgesia must be adapted to each case. When postoperative course is moderately painful, as in day case surgery, non opioid analgesics are sufficient. In case of a more painful surgery, opioids are necessary. Morphine by intravenous PCA is the technique of choice for it provides an optimal comfort in most cases. Nevertheless, when an intensive analgesia is needed, as for active physiotherapy in a risk patient after an important surgery, an epidural combination of opioids and local anaesthetics is much more suitable.