Evaluation of intravenous tenoxicam for postoperative cesarean delivery pain relief. Preliminary report.
OBJECTIVE
To assess safety and efficacy of tenoxicam for postoperative pain relief after cesarean delivery.


METHODS
Postoperative pain relief, supplemental analgesic requirements, and adverse side effects were evaluated in 80 patients undergoing cesarean delivery. Forty patients received a slow intravenous injection of tenoxicam at a fixed dose of 20 mg (2 mL), immediately before induction of spinal anesthesia with 15 mg (3 mL) of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine. The other 40 patients received 2 mL of saline solution. Newborns were evaluated by means of Apgar score and umbilical cord blood gases.


RESULTS
There was a significant prolongation of analgesia in the tenoxicam group (365 +/- 91.1 minutes versus 305 +/- 53.2 minutes in control group, P < .001). Supplementary analgesic requirements were significantly decreased by intravenous tenoxicam (1.55 +/- 0.70 versus 2.25 +/- 0.68). Adverse side effects did not differ between groups and few complaints of phlebitis were noted. Apgar scores and blood gas analyses were similar in neonates from both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravenous tenoxicam is safe and slightly increases the length of postoperative analgesia provided by the local anesthetic. It is effective in decreasing analgesic consumption in cesarean delivery patients.
Department of Anesthesia, Santa Casa de Misericordia de Santana, Livramento RS, Brazil.
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Belzarena
D000328:Adult; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001034:Apgar Score; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010894:Piroxicam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011292:Premedication; D013997:Time Factors
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010894:Piroxicam; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen; D002045:Bupivacaine; C032801:tenoxicam