Open AccessEpidural Versus Subcutaneous Administration of Alfentanil for the Management of Postoperative Pain
Author(s) -
J. Chrubasik,
Sigrun Chrubasik,
Yungong Ren,
Jürgen SchulteMönting,
Edouard Martin
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
anesthesia and analgesia/anesthesia and analgesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.404
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1526-7598
pISSN - 0003-2999
DOI - 10.1213/00000539-199406000-00014
Subject(s) - alfentanil , medicine , anesthesia , analgesic , saline , surgery , fentanyl
This study was designed to compare the efficacy and serum concentrations of alfentanil given subcutaneously (SQ) or epidurally (EPID) for treatment of postoperative pain. Following abdominal surgery, patients (n = 12) were randomly assigned to receive double-blind SQ or EPID alfentanil over 24 h via the allocated route (1 mg along with 0.2 mg/h and 0.2-mg boluses on demand) and saline via the other route of administration using a patient-controlled analgesic (PCA) delivery system. Significantly less EPID alfentanil produced better quality analgesia and fewer side effects than SQ alfentanil. The fact that EPID analgesia was maintained with serum alfentanil concentrations less than those producing systemic analgesia confirms the spinal site of the EPID alfentanil action.