Background and objective Efficacy and side–effects of piritramide (pirinitramide) and morphine, given intravenously for postoperative analgesia after hysterectomy, were compared in a randomized controlled double-blind trial in 92 ASA class I–III patients.

Methods Administration was investigator–controlled during the first 90 min and subsequently via a patientcontrolled device. Visual analogue scales for pain intensity and verbal rating scales for side-effects were taken repeatedly.

Results Median visual analogue scores for pain intensity on a 100-mm scale 4, 8 and 24 h after surgery were 10, 8.5 and 5mm in the piritramide group and 18, 10 and 8.5mm in the morphine group. These differences are neither statistically nor clinically significant. Median values for nausea on a verbal rating scale from 0 to 3 were zero for both groups at all times with similar ranges. There was no difference in number of episodes of vomiting and retching and usage of antiemetics. The mean amount of piritramide used for initial titration was 15.2 mg; the respective amount of morphine was 15.4 mg.

Conclusions In this setting the two agents are equally effective and show a similar profile of sideeffects.