Intrathecal buprenorphine for postoperative analgesia in the elderly patient.

Ninety patients aged 56-85 years scheduled for suprapubic prostatectomy, randomly received intrathecally either bupivacaine 30 mg (group A, n = 30), bupivacaine 30 mg plus buprenorphine 0.03 mg (group B, n = 30) or bupivacaine 30 mg plus buprenorphine 0.045 mg (group C, n = 30). Prolonged postoperative analgesia, minimal disturbance of consciousness and comfortable breathing were common to the groups that received buprenorphine. The higher concentration of buprenorphine improved the quality and duration of analgesia. The only side effects found in the buprenorphine groups were nausea and vomiting in 11 and 14 patients, respectively, in groups B and C. Our study shows that buprenorphine is an effective analgesic, suitable for the management of postoperative pain in elderly patients.