title: Intra-articular tenoxicam relieves post-arthroscopy pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been documented to be effective in the treatment of postoperative pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of local intra-articular injection of tenoxicam compared with intravenous injection on postoperative pain after arthroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  After day-case arthroscopy, 60 patients were randomized to receive either tenoxicam 20 mg in 20 ml of normal saline intra-articularly and 2 ml of normal saline i.v., or 20 ml of normal saline intra-articularly and 2 ml tenoxicam 20 mg i.v. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale and measuring analgesic requirements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain scores were significantly lower in the intra-articular group at rest and during active flexion of the knee at 1, 2 and 4 hours postoperatively and during walking at 6 hours postoperatively (P < 0.05). Significantly more patients in the intravenous group required supplemental opioid analgesia within the first 4 hours postoperatively (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intra-articular tenoxicam 20 mg provided better analgesia and decreased the requirements for postoperative analgesic compared with i.v. tenoxicam 20 mg.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elhakim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fathy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elkott
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Said
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010894:Piroxicam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010894:Piroxicam; C032801:tenoxicam