Preemptive analgesia with controlled-release oxycodone is successful in prevention of post-inguinal herniorrhaphy pain

Abstract

In a double-blind randomized study, controlled-release (CR) oxycodone (OxyContin ®) administration was assessed against placebo to ascertain the extent of postinguinal herniorrhaphy pain control. Patients received a single dose of CR oxycodone (40 mg orally) or placebo 40 min before surgery. When post-surgical pain was first reported, a visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess pain score. Postoperative pain-free time, dolestin (opiod) and dipyrone (antipyretic) consumption were assessed 24 h after the surgery. Postoperative pain-free time in the CR oxycodone group (Group I) was 655±548 min versus 112±71.5 min in the placebo group (Group II) (P<0.02). Postoperative 24 h dolestin consumption was 8.3±19.5 mg (Group I) versus 120.1±89.2 mg (P=0.004) (Group II). Postoperative 24 h dipyrone consumption in Group I was 0.58±0.67 g versus 1.42±1.0 g in Group II (P=0.004). Accordingly, 41.7% of patients in Group I demonstrated a need for postoperative analgesic drugs was versus 100% of the patients in Group II (P=0.037). Conclusions: Preemptive administration of a single 40 mg oral dose of CR oxycodone significantly reduced both postoperative pain and consumption of analgesic agents, without causing side effects, and may be useful in an ambulatory surgery setting.