[Intraoperative epidural opiate analgesia for pain treatment after spine surgery (author's transl)].

The intraoperative epidural opiate application seems to solve the problem of postoperative pain treatment after surgery of the vertebral column. For this purpose 2 mg of morphine in 1,0 ml NaCl-solution are placed epidurally in the root region, just prior to wound closure. 35 patients were treated in this manner and all of them, that means 100%, needed no analgetic in the first 16--24 hours after the operation. The patients feel remarkably better and nursing is facilitated. Intensive supervision however is essential during this time to prevent the risk of ascending diffusion of the morphine to the medullary regulating centers.