title: Recovery after tonsillectomy in adults: a three-week follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate recovery after tonsillectomy and safety and efficacy of ketoprofen in pain treatment after discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, longitudinal study of 102 patients undergoing tonsillectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent tonsillectomy (or adenotonsillectomy) under general anesthesia. In the hospital, 77 patients received a bolus of 0.5 mg/kg ketoprofen intravenously, followed by a 3-mg/kg continuous infusion over 24 hours, and oxycodone for rescue analgesia. Twenty-five patients received normal saline and oxycodone. At discharge, all patients were prescribed ketoprofen capsules at a dose of 3 to 5 mg/kg per day for postoperative pain control at home, with paracetamol-codeine tablets for rescue analgesia. At home, the patients recorded pain and analgesic consumption each day for the first week after surgery. At 3 weeks, patients recorded the total analgesic requirement, duration of pain, all adverse events during recovery, and return to normal daily activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No pre-emptive effect of ketoprofen was noticed because there was no significant difference in recovery after discharge between patients who had received ketoprofen or placebo during the first 24 hours after surgery. In the whole study group, the median of pain cessation was 11 days (range, 3-24 days) and the median of analgesic treatment was 12 days (range, 5-25 days). More than 50% of the patients needed 1 to 3 rescue analgesic doses daily during the first week after tonsillectomy. A return back to normal daily activities took place after 12 days (range, 2-24 days). Nine patients needed electrocautery to stop postoperative bleeding. No other serious adverse events occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main problem after tonsillectomy is significant pain that can last 11 to 12 days after surgery. Ketoprofen combined with paracetamol-codeine provided sufficient analgesia for most patients at home, but because ketoprofen may cause an increase in the secondary hemorrhage rate, it should be prescribed with caution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kuopio University Hospital, FIN-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Aarre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salonen
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kokki
authors.forename: Juhani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nuutinen
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003061:Codeine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014068:Tonsillectomy
chemical_list: D000082:Acetaminophen; D007660:Ketoprofen; D003061:Codeine