Intrathecal Ziconotide and Morphine for Pain Relief: A Case Series of Eight Patients with Refractory Cancer Pain, Including Five Cases of Neuropathic Pain.

Introduction: Studies have shown that, at low doses and with careful titration, combination therapy with intrathecal ziconotide and morphine results in rapid control of opioid-refractory cancer pain. However, there is a lack of published data regarding the efficacy and safety of intrathecal ziconotide specifically for the treatment of neuropathic cancer pain.

Case Series: Case reports of ziconotide intrathecal infusion in eight patients (age 45-71 years; 75% male) with chronic, uncontrolled cancer pain during therapy with intrathecal morphine plus bupivacaine were reviewed.

[Complications and morbidity and mortality rates in a postanesthetic intensive care unit].

Objectives: To describe the complications leading to admission of obstetric patients to intensive care or intensive postanesthetic care units. To describe the morbidity and mortality rates in such patients.

Material And Methods: We carried out a descriptive study based on patient records of 23,246 births at the Hospital Materno Infantil belonging to the University Hospitals Virgen del Rocio in Sevilla, Spain, over a 3-year period (2001-2003).