Epidural S+ ketamine and S+ ketamine-morphine associated with ropivacaine in the postoperative analgesia and sedation of upper abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The association of drugs with different mechanisms of action in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord decreases postoperative pain, with a reduction in the incidence of side effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate postoperative analgesia and sedation by epidural S(+) ketamine and S(+) ketamine-morphine associated with ropivacaine in subcostal cholecystectomy. METHODS Seventy patients of both genders, physical status ASA I and II, participated in this study. The following drugs were administered epidurally: 0.75% ropivacaine associated with 0.9% sodium chloride in the Control Group (CG); 0.75% ropivacaine associated with S(+) ketamine (0.5 mg kg(-1)) in the Ketamine Group (KG); 0.75% ropivacaine associated with S(+) ketamine (0.5 mg kg(-1)) and morphine (2 mg) in the Ketamine-Morphine Group2 (KMG2); 0.75% ropivacaine associated with S(+) ketamine (0.5 mg kg(-1)) and morphine (3 mg) in the Ketamine-Morphine Group3 (KMG3). Analgesia and sedation were evaluated 2h, 6h, and 24h after the end of the surgery. RESULTS Sedation was observed up to 2 hours after the end of the procedure in KG, KMG2, and KMG3. Analgesia was effective in CG up to 2 hours after the surgery, at 2h and 6h in KG, and at 2h, 6h, and 24h, in KMG2 and KMG3. CONCLUSIONS S(+) ketamine and the associations S(+) ketamine-morphine promoted sedation up to 2h after the end of the surgical procedure. S(+) ketamine promoted analgesia especially at the moment of the 2h observation, and the associations of S(+) ketamine-morphine promoted analgesia especially at 2h and 6h after the surgery.