Preoperative administration of intravenous flurbiprofen axetil reduces postoperative pain for spinal fusion surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate postoperative analgesia and the opioid-sparing effect of the preoperative administration of intravenous flurbiprofen axetil in patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery.


METHODS
Thirty-six patients were randomly allocated into one of three groups. Group A received preoperative flurbiprofen axetil, 1 mg x kg(-1). Group B received postoperative flurbiprofen axetil, 1 mg x kg(-1). Group C received a placebo. All groups were given a standardized anesthesia and intravenous morphine via a patient-controlled analgesia device for postoperative analgesia. The pain score was evaluated by a visual analog scale (VAS) at 0 (T(0)), 1 (T(1)), 2 (T(2)), 6 (T(3)), 12 (T(4)), and 24 (T(5)) h after surgery, and the morphine requirement was recorded during the study period.


RESULTS
VAS in group A was significantly lower than that in group B at T(0) and T(1). VAS in group A was significantly lower than that in group C throughout the time course after surgery. Postoperative morphine consumption in group A was significantly lower than that in groups B and C at T(0) to T(3).


CONCLUSIONS
As compared with postoperative administration, preoperative administration of intravenous flurbiprofen axetil provides better postoperative analgesia and an opioid-sparing effect in patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery under general anesthesia.
Yamashita
Kazunori
K
Department of Anesthesia, Nagasaki Rosai Hospital, 2-12-5 Setogoshi, Sasebo 857-0134, Japan.
Fukusaki
Makoto
M
Ando
Yuko
Y
Fujinaga
Arihiro
A
Tanabe
Takahiro
T
Terao
Yoshiaki
Y
Sumikawa
Koji
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005480:Flurbiprofen / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013123:Spinal Fusion
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005480:Flurbiprofen; D009020:Morphine; C504422:flurbiprofen axetil