Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 2003
Ventilatory effects of morphine infusions in cyanotic versus acyanotic infants after thoracotomy.
Previous studies show that the age of an infant affects morphine clearance but that ventilatory effects from morphine infusions are similar at the same morphine steady-state concentration in infants and children after surgery. The presence of cyanotic heart disease in infants receiving postoperative morphine infusions was studied for its potential effect on ventilatory effort. ⋯ Morphine i.v. infusions given to infants following thoracotomy show the same ventilatory effects in infants with cyanotic heart disease as in acyanotic infants. Age is the more important determinant of morphine response by its effect on morphine clearance than cyanosis in infants aged less than 3 months.