Papers of the Week

Intrathecal morphine is commonly and effectively used for analgesia after joint arthroplasty, but has been associated with postoperative pulmonary complications such as delayed respiratory depressionPatients with obstructive sleep apnea may be at higher risk of these complications, especially if intrathecal morphine is used for analgesia WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW: Low-dose intrathecal morphine, in conjunction with multimodal analgesia, was not associated with increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients with obstructive sleep apnea BACKGROUND:: Intrathecal morphine is commonly and effectively used for analgesia after joint arthroplasty, but has been associated with delayed respiratory depression. Patients with obstructive sleep apnea may be at higher risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. However, data is limited regarding the safety of intrathecal morphine in this population undergoing arthroplasty.