Forty patients undergoing arthroscopy were given an epidural dose of 0.05 mg morphine-HCl in 0.1 ml saline/kg body weight to study the disposition of morphine in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In each patient one to three CSF samples were collected (86 samples in total). A mean peak concentration of 13 890 nmol/l was achieved 75 min after morphine administration. The compiled data show an elimination half-life of 162 min (r = 0.98). Individual half-lives in seven patients with three samples ranged from 61-172 min. Large interindividual variations were found in CSF-concentrations of morphine, 9- and 8-fold at 3 and 8 h, respectively, after the dose. However, 16 h after administration no patient had a concentration less than 81 nmol/l. At 8 h after the dose, CSF concentrations of morphine were significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in a group of patients (n = 5) kept uptilted (80 degrees), as compared to those in the supine position (n = 5). Such a difference was not observed 3 h after the dose. The sampling procedure and age also seemed to influence CSF concentrations of morphine. There was no correlation between the dose given in mg and the CSF concentrations achieved. Strict standardization is thus mandatory when studying the disposition of opiates in CSF after epidural or intrathecal administration. Since our calculated half-lives of morphine in CSF were similar to those reported in plasma, the long-lasting effect is probably related to the high initial morphine concentrations in CSF.