APNEIC OXYGENATION ASSOCIATED WITH PATIENT-CONTROLLED ANALGESIA

We report a case in which morphine in combination with intravenous dia zepam delivered via patient-controlled analgesia resulted in complete apnea and carbon dioxide narcosis in a patient admitted for cervical t raction. A patent airway and high flow oxygen face mask maintained oxy genation despite complete apnea, thus rendering the pulse oximeter use less in defecting the respiratory depression. The case illustrates the limitations of pulse oximetry in detecting opioid induced respiratory depression when the conditions necessary for apneic oxygenation are p resent. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Science Inc.