Successful treatment of hydromorphone-induced neurotoxicity and hyperalgesia.

Abstract

There has been an increase in opioid consumption world wide in the last decade. There has also been a disturbing increase in the number of reports of neuroexcitatory opioid-related side effects observed in patients receiving large doses of systemically administered morphine and its structural analogue, hydromorphone. It is now becoming clearer that patients receiving long-term opioid therapy can develop unexpected pain. We describe an interesting case of successful management of hydromorphone-induced neurotoxicity and hyperalgesia produced by short-term therapy with rapidly escalating doses of systemic hydromorphone.