Metastatic pain in the parturient: treatment with patient-controlled epidural sufentanil.

A 30-year-old primigravid woman presented at 28 weeks gestation with severe pain related to metastatic gastric carcinoma. Pain control was achieved with epidural sufentanil, administered via a patient-controlled analgesia pump, for 5 days, prior to caesarean delivery. Considerations in deciding the optimal therapeutic regime are discussed.