Treatment of Ischemic Pain in Patients Suffering from Peripheral Vasculopathy with Transdermal Buprenorphine Plus Epidural Morphine with Ropivacaine vs. Epidural Morphine with Ropivacaine

  1. Caterina Aurilio MD1,*,
  2. Maria Caterina Pace MD1,
  3. Maria Beatrice Passavanti MD1,
  4. Antonella Paladini MD2,
  5. Massimo Maisto MD1,
  6. Mario Iannotti MD1,
  7. Vincenzo Pota MD1,
  8. Eleonora D’amora MD1,
  9. Pasquale Sansone MD1,
  10. Manlio Barbarisi MD1

Article first published online: 7 OCT 2008

DOI: 10.1111/j.1533-2500.2008.00237.x

Issue

Pain Practice

Pain Practice

Volume 9, Issue 2, pages 105–114, March/April 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Aurilio, C., Pace, M. C., Passavanti, M. B., Paladini, A., Maisto, M., Iannotti, M., Pota, V., D’amora, E., Sansone, P. and Barbarisi, M. (2009), Treatment of Ischemic Pain in Patients Suffering from Peripheral Vasculopathy with Transdermal Buprenorphine Plus Epidural Morphine with Ropivacaine vs. Epidural Morphine with Ropivacaine. Pain Practice, 9: 105–114. doi: 10.1111/j.1533-2500.2008.00237.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Anesthesiological, Surgical and Emergency Sciences, Second University of Naples, Naples;

  2. 2

    Department of Surgical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

*Caterina Aurilio, MD, Second University of Naples—Department of Anestehsiological, Surgical and Emergency Sciences, Piazza Miraglia 5 Napoli 80128, Italy. E-mail: caterina.aurilio@unina2.it.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 FEB 2009
  2. Article first published online: 7 OCT 2008
  3. Submitted: March 28, 2008; Accepted: July 20, 2008

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (292K)

Keywords:

  • epidural analgesia;
  • transdermal opioid;
  • buprenorphine;
  • peripheral vascular disease

Abstract

Aim:  This study compared the efficacy and safety of buprenorphine transdermal delivery system with peridural infusion of morphine and ropivacaine to peridural infusion alone for the control of ischemic pain in patients suffering from peripheral vasculopathy.

Methods:  Eighty-six patients were randomized into two groups. In the first group, a buprenorphine patch 35 µg/hour TTDS (transtec transdermal device plus ropivacaine and morphine) was applied, and a peridural infusion of ropivacaine/morphine (200 mg + 2 mg) was established. In the second group, ropivacaine and morphine analgesia was obtained using a peridural infusion and a placebo patch. The primary efficacy parameter was the visual analog scale score for pain. Secondary parameters of efficacy were the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire scores and a score for pain interference with sleep obtained from patient diaries evaluated every week for a period of 4 weeks.

Results:  Subjects in the TTDS group reported a reduction in pain, increased sleep, and a lower incidence of side effects compared with the control group.

Conclusion:  Transdermal buprenorphine use resulted in significant pain relief with excellent patient satisfaction, which may translate into improvement in mood and quality of life.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (292K)