UI - 000041

AU - Obbens EA

AU - Hill CS

AU - Leavens ME

AU - Ruthenbeck SS

AU - Otis F

TI - Intraventricular morphine administration for control of chronic cancer pain

AB - Twenty cancer patients with severe chronic pain have been treated with intraventricular morphine

sulfate. Adequate pain relief until death was achieved in 10 patients; 1 patient has been treated for 9 months

and is still being treated. In 2 patients, the effects of the morphine sulfate on their unilateral pelvic pain wore

off after 4 and 6 months because of tumor progression. At that time, they underwent chordotomy

procedures elsewhere. The treatment was discontinued in 4 patients for reasons other than inadequate pain

relief, such as medical complications or resolution of pain. In 3 patients, the procedure was abandoned when

emotional and psychological factors interfered with pain control. Dose requirements of intraventricular

morphine sulfate varied greatly, depending on the total daily dose of systemic narcotic intake at the onset of

the study. Intraventricular morphine sulfate is a feasible and reliable method to achieve pain relief in selected

cancer patients with severe chronic pain when the maximum tolerated dose of systemic narcotic analgesics

has become insufficient to control their pain

SO - Pain 1987;28:61-68