title: The effects of tramadol added to articaine on anesthesia duration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study the effect of tramadol added to articaine on the duration of anesthetic effect in a mandibular blockade was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with patients experiencing pain after removal of an impacted mandibular third molar was conducted. Patients were randomly allocated into 2 groups: group C (n = 24), control (C), articaine 4%, 1:100:000 epinephrine, 1.5 cartridges (2.7 mL) and saline (1 mL) into surgical site; group T, articaine 4%, 1:100:000 epinephrine, 1.5 cartridges (2.7 mL) and tramadol (T) 50 mg (1 mL) into the surgical site. The difficulty of the removal procedure, duration of the operation, and sensory blockade were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The duration of the anesthetic effect elicited by articaine in group T (246.0; 140-287) was significantly longer than that in group C (124.5; 79-154 min).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tramadol can be used as an adjunctive drug in the management of pain since it improves the quality of transoperative anesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Facultad de Estomatología, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Mexico. apozos@uaslp.mx <apozos@uaslp.mx>
authors.forename: Amaury J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pozos
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002355:Carticaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008964:Molar, Third / Q000601:surgery; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000601:surgery; D014147:Tramadol / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D004338:Drug Combinations; D014147:Tramadol; D002355:Carticaine