Morphine hyperalgesia: a case report

Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2003 Nov-Dec;20(6):459-61. doi: 10.1177/104990910302000608.

Abstract

We report a case of a patient with metastatic testicular cancer and intractable pain refractory to massive doses of oral, intravenous, and intrathecal (IT) opioids supported by analgesic adjuvants. During our efforts to control his pain, the patient exhibited opioid-induced hyperalgesia, an uncommon but important phenomenon seen with high-dose opioid therapy. With appropriate opioid adjustment--in this case reduction of intrathecal morphine dosage by a factor of 100--the condition rapidly resolved and the patient became pain-free and remained so until his death six weeks later. The keys to identifying this uncommon, but treatable, opioid side effect are recognizing it as a possibility when aggressive efforts to control pain with high doses of opioids, especially when administered neuraxially, are met with increasing pain.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adult
  • Analgesia, Epidural / methods
  • Analgesics, Opioid / administration & dosage
  • Analgesics, Opioid / adverse effects*
  • Anesthesia, Spinal / methods*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Hyperalgesia / chemically induced*
  • Injections, Spinal
  • Low Back Pain / drug therapy*
  • Low Back Pain / etiology
  • Male
  • Morphine / administration & dosage
  • Morphine / adverse effects*
  • Palliative Care / methods*
  • Spinal Neoplasms / complications
  • Spinal Neoplasms / secondary
  • Testicular Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Morphine