Pain
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Review
Pain relief from intra-articular morphine after knee surgery: a qualitative systematic review.
Reduction of postoperative pain by injecting opioid into the knee joint is believed to support the hypothesis of peripheral opioid receptor activation in inflammation. The study design consisted of a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Main outcomes were pain intensity and the use of supplementary analgesics. ⋯ We conclude that intra-articular morphine may have some effect in reducing postoperative pain intensity and consumption of analgesics. These studies had significant problems in design, data collection, statistical analysis and reporting. Trials of better methodological quality are needed for a conclusive answer that intra-articular morphine is analgesic, and that any analgesia produced is clinically useful.