Relief of post-tonsillectomy pain by release of lidocaine from fibrin glue.
OBJECTIVE
Pain inevitably develops after resection of the palatine tonsil (tonsillectomy). Therefore, we applied a mixture of lidocaine and fibrin glue to the tonsillar fossae immediately after tonsillectomy and evaluated its analgesic effects.


METHODS
A prospective randomized trial.


METHODS
Seventy-four consecutive patients who had undergone tonsillectomy by the same surgeon (S.K.) were allocated by the sealed envelope method into three groups. After routine tonsillectomy, the operation was terminated in group A (control group), but the bilateral tonsillar fossae were covered with 1 mL fibrin glue using CaCl2 as solution to dissolve thrombin in group B and using 4% lidocaine chloride instead of CaCl2 in group C. No significant difference was observed in age or sex among the three groups. Analgesic effects were evaluated in terms of the postoperative days required until the patient began to eat normally and the postoperative days on which the patient desired analgesic administration.


RESULTS
The mean postoperative days until the patient began to eat normally were 4.22 in group A and 3.78 in group B, showing no significant difference, but 2.83 in group C, being significantly shorter (P <.05). The mean postoperative days on which analgesic administration was necessary were 4.56 in group A and 4.91 in group B, showing no significant difference, but 2.88 in group C, being significantly shorter (P <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This method can be readily performed, requires no special treatment, and appears to have adequate pain-relieving effects.
Kitajiri
S
S
Department of Otolaryngology, Toyooka Hospital, Toyooka City, Hyogo, Japan. kitajiri@basil.freemail.ne.jp
Tabuchi
K
K
Hiraumi
H
H
Kaetsu
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005260:Female; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014068:Tonsillectomy
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D014014:Tissue Adhesives; D008012:Lidocaine