EPIDURAL INFUSION OF BUPIVACAINE AND DIAMORPHINE FOR POSTOPERATIVE ANALGESIA - USE ON GENERAL SURGICAL WARDS

An audit of postoperative epidural analgesia in a District General Hospital is presented. Three hundred and forty‐eight patients received epidural infusions of a bupivacaine and diamorphine mixture, and were managed on general surgical wards using a standard protocol of observations and instructions. Good analgesia was achieved in 339 (97%) patients. Respiratory depression, defined as a respiratory rate of eight breaths.min−1 or less, occurred in 22 (6%) patients, was of gradual onset, and was simply and successfully managed without morbidity. There were no respiratory arrests. Other complications, and the significance of catheter insertion level are discussed. Copyright © 1992, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved