EPIDURAL MORPHINE COMBINED WITH EPIDURAL OR INTRAVENOUS BUTORPHANOL FOR POSTOPERATIVE ANALGESIA IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS

We performed a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study in 60 pos toperative pediatric patients aged 6 wk to 7 yr to compare the efficac y of butorphanol given epidurally or intravenously in preventing the s ide effects of epidural morphine. Three groups of patients received 60 mu g/kg epidural morphine; 20 patients also received epidural butorph anol 30 mu g/kg, and 20 patients also received 30 mu g/kg intravenous butorphanol. All patients were evaluated for analgesia, sedation, vomi ting, urinary retention, pruritus, and respiratory depression for 24 h postoperatively. Although the overall incidence of side effects was n ot different in the three groups, the epidural butorphanol group had a significant decrease in severity of pruritus. Sedation was seen more frequently in the groups receiving butorphanol, but was most pronounce d in the epidural butorphanol group. We conclude that butorphanol has little or no effect on the side effects of epidural morphine.