EVALUATION OF PULSE-OXIMETRY PERFUSION INDEX AS A TOOL FOR ASSESSMENT OF EFFICACY OF RESCUE ANALGESIA IN POST OPERATIVE PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Pain in post operative patients is underestimated due to difculty of its assessment. Various scales and hemodynamic changes are used for pain assessment which are difcult to assess and sometimes not reliable. Masimo pulse oximetry derived perfusion index is a simple noninvasive, rapid and objective tool for pain evaluation in post operative patients. Objective: To evaluate usefulness of perfusion index as objective indicator of pain after rescue analgesia administration in post operative patients. Materials And Methods: Data were collected from 120 non intubated post operative patients of age group 18 to 80 years. Masimo pulse oximetry probe was connected to the patients. At the rst request of analgesia (T1) perfusion index, BPS-NI, patients haemodynamic were recorded following which rescue analgesia was given. Second measurements of the above parameters were taken again thirty minutes there after (T2). Results: There was signicant increase of perfusion index with signicant decrease of BPS-NI, MAP, heart rate following rescue analgesia administration. There was no signicant change in mean axillary temperature, peripheral oxygen saturation following rescue analgesia. Conclusion: Pulse oximetry derived perfusion index is a non-invasive, easy method, less time consuming. It can be used for evaluation of pain assessment and assessment of efcacy of rescue analgesia in post operative patients.