The usefulness of postoperative continuous epidural morphine in abdominal surgery

The influence of continuous epidural morphine on the recovery course of intestinal activity, urinary function, and ambulation after surgery was studied in 40 patients who underwent either gastrectomy for gastric cancer or cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis. Compared with a control group of patients whose postoperative pain was managed by pentazocine or hydroxyzine as before, the length of time before passing flatus or faeces was significantly shortened in the morphine groups (P<0.05). Following gastrectomy, the urinary catheter was able to be removed significantly earlier in the morphine group (P<0.05) although there was no statistical difference between both cholecystectomy groups. The morphine group experienced no difficulty with postoperative ambulation and exercise, although the difference in time before ambulation between the two groups was not considered significant. The results of this study led us to conclude that the postoperative continuous epidural infusion of morphine would be more beneficial following major abdominal surgery than the conventionally used methods of administering postoperative analgesia.