[Thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) with morphine as an alternative to the administration of general anesthesia in thoracotomized patients]. / Thorakale Epiduralanalgesie (TEA) mit Morphin als Alternative zur allgemeinen Analgetikagabe bei thorakotomierten Patienten.

A randomised prospective study was conducted into 60 patients who had undergone thoracotomy for spontaneous pneumothorax or bronchial carcinoma. Pyrazolone was intramuscularly and intravenously injected for postoperative pain relief to some of these patients. Another group received morphine through an epidural catheter (TEA). Postoperative spirometric checks were made on the first, third, and fifth days from surgery. The degree of analgesia was measured by means of the Twycross method. The ventilation parameters recorded from patients with epidural morphine treatment were clearly better than those measured from patients who had received pyrazolone. The amount of pain relief reported by TEA patients were better than that recorded from the pyrazolone group.