Vertigo and Nystagmus Post Intrathecal Morphine Administration

Intrathecal morphine was shown to provide profound and prolonged analgesia and is now used extensively for management of postoperative pain. The described side effects of the opioid used via this route are similar to those observed after systemic administration. Vertigo with horizontal nystagmus is an adverse side effect rarely described after intrathecal, epidural or intravenous morphine administration. We report the case of a patient who presented this complication following administration of intrathecal morphine after a right lower lobe segmentectomy.