IMPROVING PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA - ADDING DROPERIDOL TO MORPHINE-SULFATE TO REDUCE NAUSEA AND VOMITING AND POTENTIATE ANALGESIA

Opioid-related side effects, including nausea and vomiting, are common in patients using morphine in patient-controlled analgesia for postop erative pain relief. The purpose of this study was to determine if the addition of droperidol to a morphine sulfate delivery system could de crease the incidences of nausea and vomiting without increasing droper idol-related side effects. Forty ASA 1 and 2 patients scheduled to und ergo peripheral orthopedic surgery were randomized to receive either m orphine sulfate (2 mg/mL), or morphine sulfate (1.9 mg/mL) plus droper idol (0.125 mg/mL) for postoperative self-controlled analgesia. Visual analogue scores for pain, nausea, and sedation were obtained from eac h patient immediately after surgery and each morning and evening until patient-controlled analgesia was discontinued approximately 48 hours later. Total patient-controlled use of morphine sulfate was recorded a t each visual analogue rating. The patients who used morphine sulfate plus droperidol had significantly less nausea and vomiting and used si gnificantly less morphine. No patient experienced droperidol-related s ide effects. We conclude that the routine addition of droperidol to mo rphine sulfate in self-controlled analgesia improves the comfort of pa tients following peripheral orthopedic surgery.