PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA WITH MORPHINE AND DROPERIDOL FOLLOWING CESAREAN-SECTION UNDER SPINAL-ANESTHESIA

Background: The addition of droperidol to morphine for patient-control led analgesia reduces the incidence of nausea and vomiting, but may re sult in unwanted side effects. Method: We studied 40 women randomised to receive morphine sulphate with or without added droperidol (10mg dr operidol/60mg morphine) by patient-controlled analgesia following elec tive caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Results: Median morph ine demand in the 20h after surgery was 74mg with morphine alone, and 53mg with added droperidol, the median consumption of which was 8.8mg. The incidence of nausea was reduced from 80% to 38.8%(P<0.01), and th at of emesis from 55% to 16.7%(P<0.05) by the addition of droperidol. Psychomotor function was significantly impaired to a similar degree in both groups and there was no significant difference in sedation score s or pain scores. Subjective drowsiness which resulted in withdrawal f rom the study occurred in two patients, both of whom were receiving dr operidol, and though all patients who completed the study were satisfi ed with their analgesia overall, significantly more of those receiving unsupplemented morphine (11/19 compared with 4/18, P<0.05) described it as excellent. Conclusion: The addition of droperidol 10mg to morphi ne 60mg for PCA following caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia r educes the incidence of nausea and emesis, but may result in drowsines s, limiting the usefulness of the technique.