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Increased nausea and dizziness when using tramadol for post-operative patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) compared with morphine after intraoperative loading with morphine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2006

K. F. J. Ng
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology, The University of Hong Kong, Rm 415, Block K, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
S. L. Tsui
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology, The University of Hong Kong, Rm 415, Block K, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
J. C. S. Yang
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology, The University of Hong Kong, Rm 415, Block K, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
E. T. F. Ho
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology, The University of Hong Kong, Rm 415, Block K, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
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Abstract

Thirty-eight ASA I–III patients undergoing lower abdominal operations were randomly allocated to receive either morphine (group M, patient-controlled analgesia bolus=1 mg of morphine) or tramadol (group T, patient-controlled analgesia bolus=10 mg of tramadol) for post-operative patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) after receiving morphine intraoperatively. There were no between-group differences in the pain, sedation or vomit scores. The nausea scores were significantly higher in group T in the initial 20 h and between 32 and 36 h (P<0.01, 0–4 and 8–12 h; P<0.05, 4–8, 12–16, 16–20 and 32–36 h). The incidence of dizziness was also significantly higher in group T (68.4% vs. 31.6%, group T vs. group M, P<0.05). There was no difference in the overall satisfaction. We conclude that the use of tramadol, compared with morphine, for post-operative PCA after intraoperative loading with morphine is associated with more nausea and dizziness, but with similar sedation, quality of analgesia and patient satisfaction.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
1998 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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