Continuous intravenous infusion of morphine: a safe and effective method of post-operative analgesia in patients with sickle cell disease

ABSTRACT

The treatment of pain is one of the most important aspects of post operative care of patients with sickle cell disease. This study focuses on the safety, efficacy and complication rate of continuous intravenous infusion of morphine sulphate in 20 non-ventilated patients following major surgical procedures. Post operative pain was assessed with a linear analogue scale from 1 to 1 0 [1not painful, 1 0 worst pain possible] for 2 days following surgery. The patients had a mean age of 23.3 years [range 12 to 52 years] and a mean weight of 49.8 kg [range 30 to 60 kg]. Their mean HbS concentration was 78.86% [range 59.3 to 89.1] and their meanHbF concentration was 22.4% [range 8.8 to 37.3]. The mean intravenous morphine sulphate infusion dose was 10 [micro]g/kg/hour. The mean total morphine sulphate dose was 25 mg over 48 hours [range 8.7-44 mg]. There were no major complications such as respiratory depression except one minor complication in the form of hallucinations. Continuous I. V. morphine infusion is a safe and effective method of post operative pain control in patients with sickle cell disease