UI - 000117

AU - Eledjam JJ

AU - Viel E

AU - Bassoul B

AU - Bruelle P

TI - [Non-analgesic effects of opioids]. [Review] [French]

AB - The aim of the regional administration of opioids is to provide an efficient and prolonged analgesia.

Then, opiates can be useful for postoperative analgesia and for the treatment of chronic pain of malignant

origin. Analgesia is correlated with several adverse effects of which the most frequent are nausea and itching

and the most severe is respiratory depression. Beside the adverse effects, other properties of opiates could

be responsible of favourable effects which can be taken in advantage in specific indications. In the

postoperative period, epidurally administered opioid can attenuate the neuroendocrine and metabolic

responses to surgery and pain. This effect is responsible of a reduction of the resistance to insulin and of a

better nutritional balance, especially after major abdominal surgical procedures. Opioids also act by a

reduction of the motor functions of the bowel, which perhaps could reduce the incidence of anastomotic

breakdowns. Finally, other effects have been reported, as anecdotes, such as the treatment of spasm after

bilateral replantation of the ureters, neurologic bladder dysfunctions and enuresis. Spinal administration of

opioids has also been used as a treatment of premature ejaculation. [References: 41]

SO - Cahiers d Anesthesiologie 1991;39:111-11