AGE-RELATED POSTOPERATIVE MORPHINE REQUIREMENTS IN CHILDREN FOLLOWINGMAJOR SURGERY - AN ASSESSMENT USING PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA (PCA)

To investigate if small children require less morphine for postoperati ve analgesia than do older children and adolescents we analysed the mo rphine consumption pattern of 28 consecutive children on intravenous p atient-controlled analgesia (PCA) following major surgery. The median age-specific morphine requirements between 2 comparable groups of chil dren aged 4-8 years and 9-15 years were compared. We used the Pharmaci a-Deltec pump in all children and the same settings: a bolus dose of 2 5 microgram/kg, an 8 minutes lockout interval and no background infusi on. In addition, all children received paracetamol as a supplemently t o the morphine. In this study children aged 4-8 years had significantl y higher total postoperative morphine requirements compared to childre n aged 9-15 years, i.e. 11.6 microgram/kg/hour and 7.5 microgram/kg/ho ur respectively (p = 0.037).Hence, we conclude that children of this a ge group may have a higher total postoperative morphine requirement fo llowing major surgery than older children and adolescents.