Study of Epidural or Spinal Morphine in Treatment of Intractable Pain due to Cancer

Abstract

Epidural or spinal injections of 1-2mg. morphine were given to 9 patients with severe acute or chronic pain. All cases had considerable relief of pain, which bigun within 5min., and was effective for 1O-50h.
It is suggested that the morphine reached the subarachinoid space and produced its effect by direct action on the specific opiate receptors in the substantia gelationosa of the posterior-horn cells of the spinal cord.
This paper presents the preliminary results of the treatment of severe, localized pain by small doses of morphine injected into the epidural or spinal space without important side effect.