Premium
Epidural infusion of bupivacaine and diamorphine for postoperative analgesia
Author(s) -
Hobbs G. J.,
Roberts F. L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1992.tb01958.x
Subject(s) - medicine , bupivacaine , anesthesia , respiratory system , surgery , catheter
Summary An audit of postoperative epidural analgesia in a District General Hospital is presented. Three hundred and forty‐eight patients received epidural infusions of a bupivacaine and diamorphine mixture, and were managed on general surgical wards using a standard protocol of observations and instructions. Good analgesia was achieved in 339 (97%) patients. Respiratory depression, defined as a respiratory rate of eight breaths.min −1 or less, occurred in 22 (6%) patients, was of gradual onset, and was simply and successfully managed without morbidity. There were no respiratory arrests. Other complications, and the significance of catheter insertion level are discussed.