Postoperative pain relief with naloxone. Severe respiratory depression and pain after high dose buprenorphine.

Buprenorphine 30 and 40 micrograms/kg was given as the sole intravenous analgesic in balanced anaesthesia to 12 patients undergoing cholecystectomy. Significant and severe respiratory depression was found 15 minutes after preoperative loading with buprenorphine. In the immediate postoperative period six patients were in pain. They were treated with naloxone 0.08-0.4 mg leading to a long lasting period of pain relief (median 22 hours).