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Several routes of opioid administration are available for patients who cannot take medications orally. This randomized crossover study from Italy and Canada examined the efficacy of a morphine solution given rectally.
Researchers enrolled 34 patients with pain from advanced cancer who had not previously received opioid drugs. Each patient received 10 mg of morphine hydrochloride solution orally on two occasions and rectally on two occasions, along with rectal or oral placebo. Solutions were given rectally as a microenema through a small syringe with no needle.
Mean pain scores (measured on a visual analog scale) decreased significantly 10 minutes after rectal doses, but not until 60 minutes after oral doses. After 180 minutes, pain relief was…