Predicting postoperative morphine consumption in children.

Background: Morphine is the most commonly used postoperative analgesic for moderate to severe pain in paediatric patients, but there is little research into predictive factors correlating with postoperative morphine consumption.

Methods: All patients undergoing surgery who received morphine postoperatively over eight months were prospectively enrolled. Data analysed included total morphine consumption to day 3, age, weight, type of surgery, ASA status, preoperative opioid administration, predicted postoperative pain intensity (according to French Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care classification) and surgery duration.