Effect of intracarotid and intraventricular morphine on regional cerebral blood flow and metabolism in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs

Potent opiate analgesics, administered either epidurally, intrathecally, or intravenously, are a common adjunct to pain control in the perioperative period. Little is known, however, of the effects of opiate agonists on cerebral blood flow (CBF) and metabolism. Current studies are complicated by the hypotensive effects of these compounds and their route of administration. To circumvent these difficulties we studied the effects of intraventricular and intracarotid morphine sulfate, in doses that do not affect arterial blood pressure, on regional CBF and total cerebral oxygen consumption (CMRO 2 ) in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs