Pain relief following herniotomy: a double-blind randomized comparison between naproxen and placebo.
Sixty consecutive out-patients were randomly assigned to have either a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (naproxen 500 mg) or an identical placebo administered as suppositories half an hour before unilateral herniotomy. Within 1.5 h after the end of surgery, pain scores were significantly improved in patients receiving naproxen (P less than 0.02). The long-term analgesic effect was measured indirectly by registering the postoperative requirement for supplementary analgesic doses of acetylsalicylic acid 1 g plus codeine 20 mg. The time elapsing before the first demand for additional analgesics was prolonged by median 1.5 h, and the need for further analgesic treatment during 24 h was significantly reduced (P less than 0.003) in the naproxen group (median, 2 doses) compared to the placebo group (median, 4 doses). No statistically significant difference was found between the groups with regard to the occurrence of side-effects.
Dueholm
S
S
Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Forrest
M
M
Hjortsø
E
E
Lemvigh
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009288:Naproxen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013488:Suppositories
D013488:Suppositories; D009288:Naproxen