Preincisional dextromethorphan decreases postoperative pain and opioid requirement after modified radical mastectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether preincisional dextromethorphan (DM) improved analgesia after modified radical mastectomy (MRM).


METHODS
Sixty patients (ASA I-II) scheduled for MRM were included and randomly allocated into two groups. Patients in the treatment group (DM) received 40 mg DM and 20 mg chlorpheniramine maleate (CPM) i.m., and those in the control group received 20 mg CPM i.m. alone 30 min before skin incision. Meperidine, 1 mg x kg(-1) i.m., was given for postoperative pain relief as required. The time to first meperidine injection, total meperidine consumption, worst pain score, bed-rest time, and side effects were recorded every 24 hr for 48 hr after surgery by a resident anesthesiologist on a double-blind basis.


RESULTS
A longer time to first meperidine injection (19.2 +/- 1.6 vs 1.5 +/- 0.23 hr, P < 0.001) and lower meperidine consumption (0[10] vs 75[50] mg, median [interquartile range], P < 0.001) were observed in the DM group than in the control group. The bed-rest time was shorter in the DM than in the control group (18.0[4] vs 23.0[19] hr, P < 0.001). No difference was noted in worst VAS pain score. Meperidine-related side effects (nausea, vomiting, pruritus, dizziness, headache) were more frequent in the control (10/30) than in the DM group (3/30, P < 0.05). The number of patients who required meperidine injection for pain relief was lower in the DM (7/30) than in the control group (25/30, P < 0.005). No DM- or CPM-associated side effects were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Preincisional IM. DM treatment decreased postoperative pain and opioid requirement after MRM surgery.
Wong
C S
CS
Department of Anesthesiology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Wu
C T
CT
Yu
J C
JC
Yeh
C C
CC
Lee
M M
MM
Tao
P L
PL
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003915:Dextromethorphan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical; D008614:Meperidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011300:Preoperative Care
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000996:Antitussive Agents; D003915:Dextromethorphan; D008614:Meperidine