The Effect of Pain Medication in Children With Acute Abdominal Pain and Its Implication Over the Surgeon's Decision

• Status: Withdrawn
• Trial end date: 2010-12-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Surgeons are the individuals who will operate on a patient if it is determined to be necessary after they present with abdominal pain. For that reason, the investigators want to study if giving a medicine (morphine) to children presenting to the ED with abdominal pain will alleviate pain without changing the patient's physical exam and the subsequent surgeon's decision.

The investigators also will record any side effects of morphine, any associated surgical complications, and to identify the ultimate diagnosis.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• Treatments: Morphine

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children aged 1 to18 years of age who present with acute abdominal pain and signs of peritoneal irritation of less than 5 days duration.

• Pain scores from moderate to severe

• Need for intravenous access and require surgical consultation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy

• Chronic pain (defined as pain of more than two weeks' duration). 3. Constipation (Bowel movement less than 3imes/week, hard, small, or difficult to eliminate)

• Prior abdominal surgery or traumatic abdominal pain.

• History of gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastro esophageal reflux disease.

• Chronic illnesses associated with pain such as Ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, sickle cell disease or altered perception to pain (autism, spina bifida, altered mental status).

• Previous use of morphine sulfate or other narcotic/medication known to alter pain

• Perception or mental status six hours prior to presentation in the ED.

• Prior allergy or anaphylaxis to morphine.

• Acute respiratory distress, hypotension (less than 5thpercentile for age).

• Renal, pancreatic or biliary disease