Analgesic effect of epidural morphin in lumbar disc surgery.

In patients operated on for herniated lumbar disc, epidural morphine was administered intraoperatively at the end of the procedure. A 10 milligram dose of morphine provided significant pain relief expressed by less requirement for strong analgesics on the day of operation and the day following, as well as for sedatives during the postoperative observation period of four days in comparison to a control group of patients. The only side effect observed was urinary retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]