Abstract:

Objective: It is aimed to compare the analgesic effects of intrathecal morphine and epidural morphine, which are frequently used in cesarean delivery analgesia. Materials and Methods: Patients were divided into single-dose spinal (SDS) and combined spinal epidural (CSE) anesthesia groups. While 10mg 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine, 10µg fentanyl, 100µg morphine were administered to SDS anesthesia group as standard, the aforementioned drugs without morphine were injected into the subarachnoid space in CSE group. The patients in CSE group, 3mg morphine in a volume of 10mL was administered through the epidural catheter at the 2nd and 24th hour. Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to calculate pain intensity. Results: Total of 144 patients were included in the study. It was observed that 71 patients were applied SDS anesthesia and 73 patients were applied CSE anesthesia. In the comparison of VAS scores, significant difference was found in the scores at 2nd, 12th and 48th hours. While the 2nd hour VAS score was lower in SDS anesthesia group, 12th, 24th, and 48th hour VAS scores were lower in CSE anesthesia group. The highest difference was found in the 48th hour VAS scores. Conclusion: Both treatments provided good analgesia. Especially after mobilization, application of epidural analgesia gives better results than intrathecal opioid use.

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