The role of diclofenac and piritramide in the management of acute postoperative pain in hernioplasty
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the effects of diclofenac and piritramide in acute postoperative pain after hernioplasty. Background: In the treatment of moderate acute postoperative pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids play the major role.
The data on safety and effect of analgesia based on opioid and non-opioid drugs are still a controversial topic. Methods: We compared the first-line treatment effects of diclofenac and piritramide in 105 patients after hernioplasty in a retrospective manner.
The subsequent therapy combined piritramide with diclofenac. We evaluated the intensity of pain and its relief using a visual analogue scale (VAS).
We also evaluated the necessity of application of other analgesics. Results: One hour after the application of the first analgesic dose, we observed complete pain relief in 39.5 % of patients treated with piritramide and in 19.4 % of patients treated with diclofenac (chi(2)=5.17; p = 0.02).
After the use of piritramide, the pain relief (3.84 +/- 1.27 mm) was significantly higher than after diclofenac (3.34 +/- 0.77 mm). Another injection was needed in 76 % and 54 % of patients subjected to first-line treatment based on diclofenac and piritramide, respectively.
Conclusion: We observed that the first-line analgesic treatment based on piritramide was more effective when compared to that based on diclofenac.