围术期帕瑞昔布钠对全膝关节置换术后疼痛和功能恢复的影响

目的本研究评估帕瑞昔布钠对全膝关节置换术后疼痛和功能恢复的影响。方法择期行全膝关节置换术的患者30例。所有患者均于麻醉前行股神经置管,然后于L3～4间隙穿刺行腰-硬联合麻醉。患者被随机分为两组:帕瑞昔布钠联合连续股神经镇痛组(PF组)和连续股神经镇痛组(F组),其中PF组于切皮前15min和术后12h给予帕瑞昔布钠40mg,F组给予生理盐水。术后对两组患者的静息和运动时的VAS评分以及膝关节主动活动度进行评估。结果术后静息时两组VAS评分相似;而运动时的各时点VAS评分PF组显著低于F组(P<0.05),同时膝关节的主动活动度PF组显著高于F组(P<0.05)。结论联合应用帕瑞昔布钠的多模式镇痛提高了全膝关节置换术后股神经镇痛的效果,有利于患者运动功能的恢复,对出血无明显影响。     

帕瑞昔布钠联合盐酸羟考酮缓释片在全膝关节置换术后镇痛中的应用

目的 评估帕瑞昔布钠联合盐酸羟考酮控释片对全膝关节置换（TKA）术后镇痛的临床效果.方法选择单侧TKA术患者60例,分为帕瑞昔布钠组（A组,30例） 及帕瑞昔布钠联合盐酸羟考酮控释片组（B组,30例）.两组术毕即采用静脉注射帕瑞昔布钠40 mg q12 h镇痛.术后24 h起,A组：当视觉模拟评分（VAS）〉5分时,静脉注射帕瑞昔布钠40 mg,随后每隔12 h再静注帕瑞昔布钠40 mg;B组：当VAS〉5分时,静脉注射帕瑞昔布钠40 mg,10 min后口服盐酸羟考酮控释片10 mg,随后每隔12h静注帕瑞昔布钠40 mg并口服盐酸羟考酮控释片10 mg.观察并记录：患者术后24、32、40、48及72 h静息及运动时VAS、Ramsay镇静评分（RSS）,术后48、72 h膝关节被动活动最大可忍受度,药物不良反应情况.结果与A组比较,B组术后32、40、48、72 h的静息及运动疼痛 VAS 评分降低（P〈0.05）,镇静评分增加（P〈0.05）,术后48 h和72 h患者可忍受最大屈曲角度增大（P〈0.05）.两组均未出现严重副反应.结论 帕瑞昔布钠与盐酸羟考酮控释片联合应用符合多模式镇痛趋势,可基本实现TKA患者术后无痛的目标,使患者顺利度过术后疼痛期.     

随机双盲安慰剂对照研究全膝关节置换中使用氨甲环酸的有效性和安全性

[目的]前瞻性评估全膝关节置换术(TKA)中使用氨甲环酸(tranexamic acid,TNA)的有效性和安全性。[方法]2011年4月²012年4月,选择90例行单侧TKA术患者,随机分为TNA组(n=45)和安慰剂组(n=45)。TNA组,在松止血带前15min静脉给予15 mg/kg剂量的TNA;安慰剂组给予等量的生理盐水。记录两组术中失血量,术后12 h引流量,总引流量,隐性失血量,总失血量,输血量,输血人数,术后第1、3、5 d血红蛋白,红细胞压积,血小板,D-二聚体,下肢瘀斑人数,术后1周下肢彩超检查有无深静脉血栓(DVT),并对两组患者资料进行比较。[结果]TNA组失访6例,最终39例患者进入统计分析;对照组失访7例,最终38例患者进入统计分析。两组患者在年龄、身高、体重、MBI、性别、合并疾病数量、术前VAS评分、KSS评分、术前Hgb、Hct及D-二聚体值差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05),具有可比性。两组患者术后12 h引流量、总引流量、隐性失血量及总失血量差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组术后24 h D-二聚体值差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组患者Hgb在术后第3 d达最低值,且差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),而术后第1、5 d Hgb差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);TNA组和对照组分别有3例(共1 200 ml)和4例(共1 400 ml)患者接受异体输血,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。TNA组和对照组下肢远端DVT分别有4例和3例,发生率差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。TNA组和对照组下肢发现瘀斑分别有1例和7例,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。[结论]TKA中在松止血带前15 min静脉使用15 mg/kg剂量的TNA,能够减少TKA术后失血量,而不增加DVT的风险。     

Valdecoxib for postoperative pain management after cesarean delivery: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Although nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) improve postoperative pain relief after cesarean delivery, they carry potential side effects (e.g., bleeding). Perioperative cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors show similar analgesic efficacy to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in many surgical models but have not been studied after cesarean delivery. We designed this randomized double-blind study to determine the analgesic efficacy and opioid-sparing effects of valdecoxib after cesarean delivery. Healthy patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia were randomized to receive oral valdecoxib 20 mg or placebo every 12 h for 72 h postoperatively. As a result of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors safety concerns that became apparent during this study, the study was terminated early after evaluating 48 patients. We found no differences in total analgesic consumption between the valdecoxib and placebo groups (121 +/- 70 versus 143 +/- 77 morphine mg-equivalents, respectively; P = 0.26). Pain at rest and during activity were similar between the groups despite adequate post hoc power to have detected a clinically significant difference. There were also no differences in IV morphine requirements, time to first analgesic request, patient satisfaction, side effects, breast-feeding success, or functional activity. Postoperative pain was generally well controlled. Adding valdecoxib after cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine is not supported at this time.     

Perioperative local infiltration anesthesia with ropivacaine has no effect on postoperative pain after total hip arthroplasty: A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled trial with 116 patients

Background and purpose — The local infiltration analgesia (LIA) technique has been widely used to reduce opioid requirements and to improve postoperative mobilization following total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the evidence for the efficacy of LIA in THA is not yet clear. We determined whether single-shot LIA in addition to a multimodal analgesic regimen would reduce acute postoperative pain and opioid requirements after THA.Patients and methods — 116 patients undergoing primary THA under spinal anesthesia were included in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. All patients received oral opioid-sparing multimodal analgesia: etoricoxib, acetaminophen, and glucocorticoid. The patients were randomized to receive either 150 mL ropivacaine (2 mg/mL) and 0.5 mL epinephrine (1 mg/mL) or 150 mL 0.9% saline. Rescue analgesic consisted of morphine and oxycodone as needed. The primary endpoint was pain during mobilization in the recovery unit. Secondary endpoints were pain during mobilization on the day after surgery and total postoperative opioid requirements on the first postoperative day.Results — The levels of pain during mobilization—both in the recovery unit and on the day after surgery—and consumption of opioids on the first postoperative day were similar in the 2 groups.Interpretation — LIA did not provide any extra analgesic effect after THA over and above that from the multimodal analgesic regimen used in this study.Implementation of accelerated clinical pathways based on the fast-track principles reduces morbidity and enhances recovery for patients undergoing THA (Kehlet and Wilmore 2008). One of the key prerequisites is optimized pain relief, allowing early postoperative mobilization (Kehlet and Wilmore 2008). This requires that the pain treatment should be safe and effective, both at rest and during activity (Srikandarajah and Gilron 2011).The concept of multimodal analgesia for acute postoperative pain is to combine analgesics with additive or synergistic effects, which is meant to reduce the use of—and the adverse effects of—opioids and to allow early mobilization (Kehlet and Dahl 1993, Kehlet et al. 1999, Buvanendran and Kroin 2009). Multimodal analgesia in THA usually includes analgesics such as opioids, gabapentin, NSAIDs, acetaminophen, glucocorticoids, and local infiltration (Kardash et al. 2008, Kerr and Kohan 2008, Toms et al. 2008, Fredheim et al. 2011, Maund et al. 2011, Zhang et al. 2011).Kerr and Kohan (2008) reported reduced opioid requirements and reduced hospital stay with the use of LIA consisting of ropivacaine and NSAIDs. However, trials investigating the effect of ropivacaine in LIA have not determined whether ropivacaine alone gives similar improvements following THA (Lunn et al. 2011, Dobie et al. 2012, Zoric et al. 2014). Studies using LIA have often combined different analgesics (Kerr and Kohan 2008, Kuchalik et al. 2013), and this complicates interpretation of the results regarding the extent to which ropivacaine alone contributes to the outcome.Various studies have shown that LIA does not provide any additional analgesic benefit or reduce opioid consumption after THA (Lunn et al. 2011, Dobie et al. 2012, Solovyova et al. 2013, Zoric et al. 2014), and some authors do not recommend LIA in addition to a multimodal analgesic regimen after THA (Andersen et al. 2011, Lunn et al. 2011). Other studies have shown that LIA reduces the opioid consumption (Andersen et al. 2007, Kerr and Kohan 2008, Busch et al. 2010, Murphy et al. 2012, Kuchalik et al. 2013) and shortens the hospital stay after THA (Kerr and Kohan 2008, Scott et al. 2012) The results are thus conflicting, and the role of LIA in THA surgery still needs to be clarified.We investigated whether a single-shot LIA with ropivacaine in addition to a multimodal analgesic regimen would reduce acute postoperative pain and opioid requirements after THA.     

围手术期地塞米松对全膝关节置换术后恶心呕吐和疼痛的影响

目的:探讨围手术期应用地塞米松对于单侧全膝关节置换术后恶心呕吐和疼痛的影响及安全性评估。方法:2014年2月至2016年6月采用全膝关节置换治疗的单侧晚期骨性关节炎患者100例,分为2组,每组50例:其中地塞米松组,男27例,女23例,年龄(72.30±7.02)岁,术前给予地塞米松10 mg静脉滴注;生理盐水组,男26例,女24例,年龄(71.30±6.08)岁,相应时间给予等量生理盐水静滴。观察记录术后2、4、6、8、12、24、36、48 h时休息时和屈膝45°时疼痛VAS评分,记录术后0～24 h和24～48 h发生呕吐情况、使用止吐药及阿片类药情况。并记录术后患者药物副作用及并发症。结果:100例患者均获得随访,平均随访时间14.5个月。休息时疼痛VAS评分地塞米松组术后8、24、48 h时低于生理盐水组(P0.05);屈膝45°时VAS评分地塞米松组术后8、48 h时低于生理盐水组(P0.05);地塞米松组休息时和屈膝45°时VAS评分总体低于生理盐水组(P0.05)。术后0～24 h、24～48 h阿片类药用量及总阿片类药用量地塞米松组均低于生理盐水组(P0.05)。两组患者术后0～24 h和24～48 h发生恶心呕吐比例,术后0～24 h要求使用止吐药比例差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。总止吐药用量地塞米松组少于生理盐水组(P0.05)。截止末次随访,两组患者未出现术后感染、消化道溃疡、出血等并发症。结论:术前全身应用地塞米松可有效减少TKA术后疼痛和恶心呕吐,且并不增加术后并发症。     

关节局部注射对全膝关节置换术后的镇痛效果

目的比较关节局部注射混合局麻药与自控硬膜外镇痛（PCEA）对全膝关节置换（TKA）术后的镇痛效果。方法由同一位医师主刀完成的TKA骨性关节炎（OA）患者58例（63膝）,根据镇痛方式分成两组：局部注射组23例（25膝）,术中关节周围软组织注射2.5g/L布比卡因40ml、酮咯酸30mg和肾上腺素0.25mg的混合液,术后拔除引流管时通过关节腔内放置的细导管注射5g/L布比卡因20ml和酮咯酸30mg。35例（38膝）TKA术后采用PCEA做为对照,比较术后两种镇痛方式的疼痛视觉模拟评分（VAS）、吗啡的使用量、关节被动活动度（PROM）、切口引流量和恶心、呕吐的发生率。结果两组术后的VAS和PROM差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）,而局部注射组术后吗啡使用量、切口引流量和恶心、呕吐的发生率明显减少（P〈0.05）。结论关节周围软组织和关节内注射混合局麻药对TKA术后的镇痛效果确切,减少了术后出血量、吗啡的使用量和并发症,成本低,且操作简便、实用,是TKA镇痛的有效方法之一。     

Effect of tourniquet pressure on perioperative blood loss associated with cementless total knee arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized study

Perioperative blood loss is an issue of concern in cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We randomly assigned 57 patients (60 knees) who underwent cementless TKA treatment to 2 groups with tourniquet pressure (TP) of either 350 mm Hg (30 knees) or systolic blood pressure (SBP) plus 100 mm Hg (30 knees) to assess the effect of TP on blood loss. The mean TP in the SBP plus 100 mm Hg group was 238 +/- 13 mm Hg. There was no significant difference between groups. Red blood cell count, hemoglobin levels, and hematocrit recovered to preoperative levels by 3 months after surgery in both groups. In conclusion, we recommend using a TP of 100 mm Hg above SBP during TKA, rather than using the conventional TP of 350 mm Hg.     

Microcurrent skin patches for postoperative pain control in total knee arthroplasty: a pilot study

Pain control following painful orthopaedic procedures such as total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an ongoing challenge, as current pain management techniques often result in under-medication and/or complications. In a study designed to test the effect of the micro-current skin patch (MCT) on pain relief in patients following TKA, we followed 24 patients, randomly divided into two groups, one group receiving MCT plus tramadol hydrochloride (tramadol) for pain relief and a control group receiving only tramadol, for 10 days postoperatively. Tramadol was given intramuscularly in increment doses of 100 mg, as needed, for the duration of the study period. Pain was assessed daily using a visual analogue score (VAS). Other parameters, including the effect of MCT on the dose of tramadol needed for pain relief, the degree of wound healing measured at the end of the follow-up period, category of the wound 10 days postoperatively (1, 2 or 3) and total drain fluid volume, were also assessed. During the 10-day postoperative period there was a progressive decrease in pain in patients of both groups, however the patients of the MCT group showed a consistently lower VAS throughout the observation period, most markedly on those follow-up days with the highest pain scores in patients of the control group. This effect was monitored on the basis of the average dose of tramadol administered per day: 200.0+/-7.0 mg/day in the control group and 63.3+/-15.8 mg/day in the MCT group. Wound healing was better with the application of the MCT patch: grade 1 wounds were observed in 50% of the patients of the MCT group as compared to 8.3% in control group. The total drain volume was lower in patients of the MCT group compared to the controls (1020.8+/-211.6 and 1170.8+/-243.5 ml, respectively). None of the patients indicated that they wished to discontinue MCT therapy. This pilot study shows that MCT therapy led to better pain control with a markedly lower need for tramadol as compared to the control group. This better pain control was accompanied by a better healing of the wound and a lower drain volume.     

Three-in-one nerve block with different concentrations of bupivacaine in total knee arthroplasty: randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial

Pain after total knee arthroplasty may be severe and lead to adverse outcomes. Using 2 concentrations of bupivacaine, we investigated 3-in-1 nerve block's effect on pain control, narcotic use, sedation, and patient satisfaction. One hundred five patients undergoing unilateral total knee arthroplasty were randomized into 3 groups: low-dose or high-dose bupivacaine or placebo. Ninety-nine patients completed the study. Three-in-1 nerve block reduced patient-controlled opioid analgesia usage and improved pain relief in the early postoperative period but had little effect beyond postoperative day 1. There were no significant differences among groups with respect to nausea or sedation. Patients in each group exhibited high overall satisfaction. Low-dose bupivacaine was superior to high-dose bupivacaine for pain relief, narcotic consumption, and patient satisfaction in the early postoperative period.     

Intraoperative music reduces perceived pain after total knee arthroplasty: a blinded, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) often experience a difficult recovery due to severe postoperative pain. Using a multimodal pain management protocol, a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of patient-selected music on reducing perceived pain. Thirty patients undergoing primary unilateral TKA were enrolled and randomized into the music group (15 patients) or the control group (15 patients). Postoperative pain scores, assessed with the visual analog scale, indicated the music group experienced less pain at 3 and 24 hours postoperatively than did the nonmusic group (at 3 hours: 1.47+/-1.39 versus 3.87+/-3.44, P=.01; at 24 hours: 2.41+/-1.67 versus 4.03+/-2.89, P=.04). Intraoperative music provides an inexpensive nonpharmacological option to further reduce postoperative pain.     

全膝关节置换术前使用COX-2抑制剂对术后镇痛效果的Meta分析

目的:采用Meta分析法评价全膝关节置换术前使用COX-2抑制剂对术后镇痛的有效性及安全性.方法:计算机检索PubMed、Cochrane Library、EMBASE、CNKI、CBM、数字化期刊全文数据库有关全膝关节置换术(TKA)术前应用COX-2抑制剂镇痛的随机对照试验(RCT),检索时间从建库至2014年3月15日,同时手工检索图书馆馆藏期刊.按Cochrane系统评价方法选择文献、提取资料并评价纳入研究质量后,采用RevMan 5.2 软件进行Meta 分析.结果:经过筛选共纳入6个RCT文献,合计228例患者.Meta分析结果显示:①有效性:与对照组相比,术前使用COX-2抑制剂镇痛在置换术后12 h疼痛视觉模拟评分(VAS)[WMD=-0.60,95%CI(-0.83,-0.37),P<0.00001]、24 h的VAS[WMD=-0.74,95%CI(-1.29,-0.19),P=0.008]、48 h的VAS[WMD=-0.43,95%CI(-0.61,-0.26),P<0.00001]均降低.术后试验组在膝关节静息状态下第1天的改良数字疼痛评分(MNPRS)[WMD=-0.50,95%CI(-0.70,-0.30),P<0.00001]、第2天MNPRS[WMD=-0.55,95%CI(-0.65,-0.45),P<0.00001],以及术后膝关节活动状态下第1天MNPRS[WMD=-0.82,95%CI(-1.26,-0.38),P<0.00001]、第2天MNPRS[WMD=-0.71,95%CI(-0.82,-0.60),P<0.00001]均较对照组降低.同时试验组能降低术后第1天[WMD=-1.35,95%CI(-1.92,-0.79),P<0.00001]、第2天[WMD=-1.60,95%CI(-2.68,-0.52),P=0.004]的吗啡需要量.②安全性:术前使用COX-2抑制剂镇痛术能降低置换术后皮肤瘙痒的发生率[RR=0.35,95%CI(0.15,0.84),P=0.02],但在降低术后恶心呕吐[RR=0.83,95%CI(0.54,1.28),P=0.40]、嗜睡[RR=0.63,95%CI(0.05,7.67),P=0.72]发生率方面与对照组比较差异无统计学意义.结论:TKA术前采用COX-2抑制剂能有效提高术后镇痛效果且降低吗啡的需要量,同时也可降低术后皮肤瘙痒的发生率.     

Intraarticular vs. extraarticular ropivacaine infusion following high-dose local infiltration analgesia after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized double-blind study

Background and purpose

Ropivacaine infusion following high-volume local infiltration analgesia has been shown to be effective after total knee arthroplasty, but the optimum site of administration of ropivacaine has not been evaluated. We compared the effects of intraarticular and extraarticular adminstration of the local anesthetic for postoperative supplementation of high-volume local infiltration analgesia.

Patients and methods

In this double-blind study, 36 rheumatic patients aged 51–78 years with physical status ASA 2–3 who were scheduled for total knee arthroplasty were randomized into 2 groups. All patients received wound infiltration at the end of surgery with 300 mg ropivacaine, 30 mg ketorolac, and 0.5 mg epinephrine (total volume 156 mL). A tunneled catheter was randomly placed either extraarticularly or intraarticularly. Continuous infusion of ropivacain (0.5%, 2 mL/h) was started immediately and was maintained during the next 48 h. Pain intensity at rest, on movement, and with mobilization was estimated by the patients and the physiotherapist; rescue morphine consumption was recorded.

Results

As estimated by the patients, ropivacaine administered intraarticularly did not improve analgesia relative to extraarticular infusion, but improved the first mobilization. The incidence of high intensity of pain (VAS 7–10) was less in the group with intraarticular infusion. Analgesic requirements were similar in the 2 groups (47 mg and 49 mg morphine). No complications of postoperative wound healing were seen and there were no toxic side effects.

Interpretation

Continuous infusion of ropivacaine intraarticulary did not improve postoperative analgesia at rest relative to extraarticular administration, but it appeared to reduce the incidence of high pain intensity during first exercises, and could therefore be expected to improve mobilization up to 24 h after total knee arthroplasty.Pain after total knee arthroplasty is severe in two-thirds of patients (Bonica 1984, Beattie et al. 1997). The pain may be a result of trauma to the bone or soft tissues or a result of hyperperfusion after tourniquet release (Estebe et al. 1995). The optimal form of pain relief is one that is applied preoperatively, perioperatively, and postoperatively to avoid the establishment of pain hypersensitivity (Badner et al. 1996). Good pain relief allows effective postoperative rehabilitation (Shoji et al. 1990). In contrast to epidural analgesia and femoral block, an alternative method to achieve good postoperative pain relief is local infiltration combined with single-shot injection or continuous infusion of local anesthetics into the surgical site. Local anesthetic infiltration is helpful in the management of postoperative pain after several orthopedic procedures (De Andres et al. 1993). The use of intraarticular analgesia to limit postoperative pain following knee arthroplasty has been investigated, with different results (Smith et al. 1991, Allen et al. 1993, Osborne and Keene 1993, Badner et al. 1996, Mauerhan et al. 1997, Ritter et al. 1999).A local infiltration analgesia (LIA) technique was developed by Kerr and Kohan in Sydney, Australia (Rostlund and Kehlet 2007, Kerr and Kohan 2008). With this technique, the long-acting local anesthetic ropivacaine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (ketorolac), and epinephrine are infiltrated periarticulary during surgery. An alternative technique that might have widespread applicability is the insertion of catheters to allow continuous infusion of local anesthetics into the surgical wound at the end of the procedure. There is a need for detailed systematic studies to evaluate the optimal site of administration of local anaesthetics. In this randomized, double-blind study, we compared the analgesic effects of continuous infusion of local anesthetics either intraarticulary or extraarticulary after TKA using the LIA technique.     

Effect of parecoxib pretreatment and venous occlusion on propofol injection pain: a prospective,randomized, double-blinded,placebo-controlled study

Study ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of parecoxib pretreatment with venous occlusion on propofol injection pain.DesignProspective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.SettingOperating room of a tertiary-care medical center.Patients150 ASA physical status I patients scheduled for elective surgery.InterventionsPatients were randomized to three groups of 50 patients each to receive pretreatment with normal saline (Group NS), parecoxib 20 mg (Group P20), or parecoxib 40 mg (Group P40). All groups underwent venous occlusion for two minutes before propofol was injected. All pretreatment drugs were prepared in 5 mL doses.MeasurementsPain scores were obtained by a study-blinded observer during propofol injection following the different pretreatment solutions.Main ResultsPain scores among the three groups were significantly different (P ≤ 0.001). In Group NS, 29 (58%) patients had pain during propofol injection compared with 22 (40%) Group P20 and 13 (26%) Group P40 patients (P ≤ 0.005). Pain was significantly reduced in Group P40 (P ≤ 0.001) compared with the control group. Moderate to severe pain was experienced by 18 (36%) Group NS and 4 (8%) Group P20 patients, whereas no Group P40 patient experienced moderate or severe pain (P < 0.001). Reduction in pain severity was statistically significant after pretreatment with either parecoxib 20 mg (P = 0.002) or parecoxib 40 mg (P < 0.001).ConclusionParecoxib 40 mg with venous occlusion is effective in reducing the frequency and severity of pain with propofol injection. Pretreatment with 20 mg of parecoxib reduces the severity of propofol injection pain significantly but does not reduce frequency compared with the control group.     

Methadone patient-controlled analgesia for postoperative pain: a randomized,controlled, double-blind study

Purpose

Postoperative pain is an important health-care issue. Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is considered the gold standard for systemic postoperative pain treatment. Methadone PCA is used for patients with chronic pain and those in the palliative care setting. However, its efficacy as a first-line drug for acute postoperative pain is unknown. This study evaluated the use of postoperative methadone PCA after total hip arthroplasty (THA) compared with morphine PCA.

Methods

This was a randomized, double-blind, controlled, parallel-group study. Patients were randomized into two groups: group methadone—methadone PCA, and group morphine—morphine PCA, for postoperative analgesia. Drugs were delivered through PCA pumps throughout the first 24 h after surgery (T1:6, T2:12, T3:18, T4:24 h).

Results

Opioid consumption in 24 h was significantly lower for group methadone than for group morphine. Group methadone patients experienced significantly less pain than group morphine at rest. Pain after movement was significantly lower in group methadone at T1 and T3 and marginally lower at T2 and T4. Adverse events more frequently reported were sleepiness, nausea, and vomiting, but no statistical difference between groups was found.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that methadone PCA prompted less opioid consumption and lower pain scores at rest and at motion in comparison with morphine PCA as postoperative analgesia after THA.