Antagonistic effects of naloxone against morphinomimetic agents. Apropos of 10 cases in gynecologic surgery

: The object of this study was the use of naloxone to correct hypoventilation related to the use of morphinomimetics without suppressing the analgesic effect of these agents. The study involved ten patients undergoing gynaecological surgery under neuroleptanalgesia and who at the end of surgery had hypoventilation due to the use of fentanyl (average dose : 4.87 microgram/kg/h) or phenoperidine (average dose : 48.7 microgram/kg/h). Naloxone was administered intravenously in an average dose of 1.37 microgram/kg (in one or two injections) followed by an intramuscular injection of an average of 0.73 microgram/kg. Under these conditions, respiratory depression was completely corrected in all cases, the effect being durable. Good analgesia was retained and there was a normal return to consciousness without undesirable effects.