As the first choice for surgical analgesia, opioids often cause adverse reactions such as opioid‑induced hyperalgesia (OIH). Previous studies have confirmed that the occurrence of OIH may be related to the activation of the action center in the brain. In recent years, studies have found that the release of inflammatory mediators after activation of spinal cord glial cells can mediate the occurrence of OIH. Cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase‑1 (caspase‑1) ‑mediated pyrolysis pathway is one of the important ways to release inflammatory mediators, which may be involved in the small glue inflammation of plasmocytes. Based on the current researches, this review summarizes the characteristics of the cell pyrolysis pathway and the mechanism of OIH occurrence. From the three aspects of spinal cord glial cell activation, the pyrolysis pathway mediated other types of hyperalgesia and the release of inflammatory mediators, the possible relationship between the pyrolysis pathway and OIH is explored, which provides new ideas for the treatment of OIH.