The efficacy of paracetamol versus tenoxicam on postoperative pain and morphine consumption after abdominal hysterectomy: a placebo-controlled, randomized study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the analgesic efficacy and side-effects of paracetamol and tenoxicam in comparison with placebo in patients with postoperative pain after elective abdominal hysterectomy.


METHODS
A total of 120 patients were randomly divided into three groups to receive either paracetamol 1 g, tenoxicam 20 mg or placebo intravenously at the end of surgery, and then morphine was administered by a patient-controlled analgesia device postoperatively.


RESULTS
Tenoxicam was associated with lower pain scores at the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 24th hour postoperatively. Total morphine consumption was 44.8 +/- 17.4 mg, 64.6 +/- 19.6 mg, 69.2 +/- 22.1 (tenoxicam, paracetamol and placebo group, respectively) and there was a significant difference in the tenoxicam group compared with the other two groups (p < 0.05). Side-effects except for nausea were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
A single dose of 20 mg tenoxicam provided effective analgesia and reduced total morphine consumption in comparison with paracetamol and placebo after abdominal hysterectomy.
Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
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I
Gunusen
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Karaman
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A
Acar
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A
Sargin
V
V
Firat
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010894:Piroxicam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010894:Piroxicam; D000082:Acetaminophen; D009020:Morphine; C032801:tenoxicam