The role of intrathecal drugs in the treatment of acute pain.

Intrathecal opioids are widely used as useful adjuncts in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, and a number of non-opioid drugs show promise as analgesic drugs with spinal selectivity. In this review we examine the historical development and current use of intrathecal opioids and other drugs that show promise for treating pain in the perioperative period. The pharmacology and clinical use of intrathecal morphine and other opioids is reviewed in detail, including dosing guidelines for specific surgical procedures and the incidence and treatment of side effects associated with these drugs.