title: Pre-emptive peritonsillar dexamethasone vs. levobupivacaine infiltration for relief of post-adenotonsillectomy pain in children: a controlled clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of the pre-emptive local infiltration of dexamethasone vs. levobupivacaine on postoperative pain and morbidity in pediatric adenotonsillectomy patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 60 patients (32 males and 28 females), aged 3-14 years, were included in this double-blind prospective randomized controlled clinical study from September of 2011 until May of 2012. Patients admitted for adenotonsillectomies after informed consent was obtained from the parents, and randomized into three groups receiving either dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Group 1, mean age 5.9 ± 1.6), levobupivacaine with epinephrine (Group 2, mean age 6.1 ± 2.6), or saline (Group 3, mean age 6.0 ± 3.4). Pain scores at the 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th hours, and first, second, third and seventh days post-operatively were recorded by the parents using McGrath's face scale. The operation type, operation time and anesthesia time, the time of the first request for postoperative analgesia, and the total number of analgesic interventions were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain scores were revealed in this order: Group 1 (steroid) < Group 2 (levobupivacaine) < Group 3 (saline) at all times (p = 0.000). The anesthesia times for Group 1 and Group 2 were different (steroid vs. levobupivacaine), and the time to first analgesic was longer in Groups 1 (steroid) and 2 (levobupivacaine) than in Group 3 (saline) (p < 0.000). The total number of analgesic interventions was lower in Group 1 (steroid) than in Group 2 (levobupivacaine) and Group 3 (saline) (steroid vs. saline, p = 0.000, and steroid vs. levobupivacaine, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peritonsillar dexamethasone infiltration was more effective than both levobupivacaine and saline in reducing post-tonsillectomy pain. It was proven to be a safe and effective method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dostbil
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aysenur
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Celik
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mine
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, 25100 Erzurum, Turkey. Electronic address: dryoruk_40@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yoruk
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozgur
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alıcı Hacı
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ahmet
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya Training and Research Hospital, 54187 Sakarya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdem Ali
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Fuat
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ince
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ilker
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ataturk University Faculty of Medicine, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahiskalıoglu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000293:Adolescent; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D008297:Male; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014068:Tonsillectomy
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D005938:Glucocorticoids; C004180:dexamethasone 21-phosphate; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D002045:Bupivacaine
keywords: Children; Dexamethasone; Levobupivacaine; Postoperative pain; Tonsillectomy