Ropivacaine compared to bupivacaine for post-tonsillectomy pain relief in children: a randomized controlled study

Analgesic Efficacy of Ropivacaine Infiltration on Early Post-Tonsillectomy Pain in Pediatrics

OBJECTIVE

To assess the analgesic efficacy of ropivacaine infiltration in the tonsillar fossa among pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL.

REVIEW METHODS

Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were assessed for bias using Cochrane's risk of bias tool (version 2). Our primary outcome was postoperative pain within 24 h, and secondary outcomes included operative time, intraoperative blood loss, time to first analgesia, bleeding, and nausea/vomiting. Data were pooled as mean difference, standardized mean difference, and risk ratio with a 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

Our review included 11 RCTs, with a total of 712 patients. The quality of studies varied and included low risk (n = 8 RCTs), some concerns (n = 2 RCTs), and high risk (n = 1 RCT) of bias. The primary endpoint of postoperative pain across all time points was significantly reduced in the ropivacaine group compared with the placebo group. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) of the postoperative pain depicted conclusive evidence and unnecessity for further RCTs. The mean operative time was significantly reduced in the ropivacaine group compared with the placebo group. However, there was no significant difference between both groups regarding additional clinical (i.e., mean intraoperative blood loss and mean time to first analgesia) and safety (i.e., rates of bleeding and nausea/vomiting) outcomes.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated the safety and postoperative analgesic efficacy of ropivacaine versus placebo among pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy. There was no significant difference between both groups regarding intraoperative blood loss, time to first analgesia, and rate of postoperative bleeding.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

1 Laryngoscope, 134:3018-3029, 2024.

To Compare the Effects of Post-tonsillectomy Intra-operative Infiltration of Ropivacaine Versus Bupivacaine in Tonsillar Fossa

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures practiced in Otorhinolaryngology. A significant obstacle for the speedy and smooth recovery is early post- operative pain. Pain leads to negative outcomes such as poor intake, tachycardia, anxiety, delayed wound healing and insomnia. Aim to assess and compare the effect of post-incisional infiltration of 0.75% Ropivacaine v/s 0.5% Bupivacaine on post tonsillectomy pain, the on start of oral intake and stay in hospital and to investigate any complications that can arise due to infiltration of the said drugs. 60 Patients above the age of 5 years were posted for tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy under general anesthesia. Patients were blinded about the group in which they will be enrolled. Group A received Inj. ropivacaine (0.75%) 2 ml and Group B: received Inj. Bupivacaine (0.50%) 2 ml in each fossa. After surgery, no analgesics were given & patients were observed for the intensity of post-operative pain in the immediate post-operative period, at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48 h and further if not discharged using VISUAL ANALOGUE SCORE (VAS) and VERBAL RATING SCALE(VRS). Post-operative pain assessment was done using VAS and VRS at 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, 24th and 48th hour which was found to be lower in Group 'A'. Patients in Group 'A' also started their oral intake sooner, had lesser hospitalization days than group 'B' patients. Longer time for Rescue analgesic and reduced total dose of analgesic required was seen in Group A compared to Group B. This comparative study on Post-incisional infiltration of 2 ml 0.75% Ropivacaine v/s 2 ml 0.5% Bupivacaine has shown that Ropivacaine is a more effective drug in reducing post-operative pain in comparison to Bupivacaine, proven statistically.

Efficacy of Ropivacaine Administration on Post-tonsillectomy Pain in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Placebo-controlled Trials

The objective of this investigation is to assess the efficacy of ropivacaine on intraoperative and postoperative endpoints like operative time, blood loss, pain, and bleeding among adult's patients undergoing for tonsillectomy. PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were screened from inception until November 2022. The included RCTs were evaluated for risk of bias via risk of bias tool (second version). All endpoints were summarized as mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) for continues outcomes, and risk ration (RR) for dichotomous outcomes, under random-effect model. Four RCTs met our PICOS criteria, comprising a total of 257 patients. Regarding postoperative pain, there was a significant difference that favor ropivacaine group compared with placebo group within hours (n = 4 RCTs, SMD = -0.92, 95% CI [-1.57, -0.26], p = 0.006), and within days (n = 4 RCTs, SMD = -050, 95% CI [-0.82, -0.18], p = 0.002). However, there were no significant difference between ropivacaine and placebo groups I terms of operative time (n = 3 RCTs, SMD = -0.17, 95% CI [-0.45, 0.11], p = 0.22), intraoperative blood loss (n = 2 RCTs, SMD = -0.37, 95% CI [-1.41, 0.67], p = 0.49), and postoperative bleeding (n = 4 RCTs, RR = 2.27, 95% CI [0.90, 5.73], p = 0.08). In conclusion, administration of ropivacaine was associated with less postoperative pain among adult's patients who undergoing tonsillectomy. However, there were no benefit in term of reduction in operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative hemorrhage.

Effect of Local Anesthetic Injections on Subjective Pain Scales in Pediatric Tonsillectomies: A Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of local anesthetic injection on subjective pain scores for pediatric tonsillectomies on postoperative days (PODs) 0 and 1.

DATA SOURCES

A comprehensive literature search was conducted with the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases.

REVIEW METHODS

A 2-researcher team following the PRISMA guidelines performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. Studies with original data and a saline injection control arm were selected. Corresponding authors were contacted for missing data. The collated data were analyzed with RevMan version 5.4 (Review Manager; Cochrane Collaboration). Random effects modeling and standard mean difference were utilized to control for heterogeneity. Surgical technique subgroup analysis was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 319 publications were identified, and 8 articles with 13 experimental arms (627 participants) were selected for meta-analysis. Local anesthetic injection was compared with placebo with saline injection. The standard mean difference for POD 0 pain was -0.81 (95% CI, -1.16 to -0.46; P < .00001) in favor of local anesthetic. The standard mean difference for POD 1 was -1.13 (95% CI, -1.48 to -0.78; P < .00001) in favor of local anesthetic. Subgroup analysis by surgical technique showed a less robust effect for cautery excision (-1.01 [95% CI, -1.37 to -0.66]) vs cold excisional technique (-1.19 [95% CI, -1.64 to -0.74]), with or without cautery-based hemostasis.

CONCLUSIONS

A local anesthetic injection during a pediatric tonsillectomy reduces postoperative pain on POD 0 and 1. Further analysis on total narcotic use and postoperative complications would benefit surgeon decision making.

The efficacy and safety of peri-tonsillar administrated agents on pain treatment after pediatric tonsillectomy: A network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the pain control efficacies and associated morbidities of drugs administered locally (around the tonsils) in pediatric patients undergoing a tonsillectomy.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials up to April 2022 were retrieved from six databases. The treatment networks featured six interventions (ropivacaine, bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, ketamine, tramadol, and dexamethasone) and a control (placebo). The outcomes were the postoperative pain scores, the time to use of the first analgesic drugs, and postoperative nausea/vomiting. Both pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed.

RESULTS

All treatments controlled pain at 1 h and 1 day postoperatively. Although all agents tended to delay the time to the first analgesic drug, only bupivacaine, dexamethasone, ketamine, and tramadol significantly reduced the need for analgesics. No agent caused significant postoperative nausea or vomiting. The ranking hierarchy revealed that tramadol was superior in terms of pain control 1 h postoperatively, the time to the first analgesic drug, and the number of analgesic doses required; however, it ranked third in terms of operative time.

CONCLUSION

All drugs reduced postoperative pain. Tramadol was optimal in pain control, and dexamethasone also afforded good pain control with low incidences of nausea and vomiting.

Efficacy of Levobupivacaine Versus Levobupivacaine Plus Dexmedetomidine Infiltration for Post-Tonsillectomy Analgesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. The study evaluated the analgesic effects of levobupivacaine infiltration in the tonsil bed, and a combination of levobupivacaine and dexmedetomidine in patients undergoing tonsillectomy. Methods. Ninety children (ages 3 to 7 years) who were scheduled for a tonsillectomy were allocated randomly into two groups. (L Group): peritonsillar infiltration with 0.25% levobupivacaine (2 ml + 0.5 ml saline 0.9% per tonsil). (LD Group): levobupivacaine 0.25% (2 ml) plus dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg diluted in 1 ml saline 0.9% (0.5 ml in each tonsil), and administered by peritonsillar infiltration (2.5 ml per tonsil) following intubation 3–5 minutes before operation. To avoid bias, infiltrate a total volume of 2.5 ml in each tonsil. The first analgesic request time was the primary outcome, with postoperative pain score, total analgesic consumption, total oral intake, sedation, and side effects as secondary outcomes. Results. The first rescue analgesia time in the LD group was longer (644.31 ± 112.89 min) than in the L group (551.51 ± 146.16 min, $P$ -value <0.001). The number of patients who required >1 analgesic dose in the L group (n = 13) was higher than in the LD group (n = 5). The LD group consumes a lower total dose of IV paracetamol in the first 24 hours postoperatively (321.89 ± 93.25 mg) than the L group (394.89 ± 183.71 mg, $P<0.00$ -value < 0.050). On the first day postoperatively, patients in the LD group had a higher total oral intake ( $P<0.001$ ). Except for a slight increase in laryngospasm in the L group, there were no side effects. Conclusions. The Children’s peritonsillar infiltration of levobupivacaine and dexmedetomidine improved postoperative pain after adenotonsillectomy. The topically applied levobupivacaine and dexmedetomidine were concomitant with no systemic effects, greater total oral intake on the first day postoperative, and higher family satisfaction.

Perioperative pain management based on enhanced recovery after surgery in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy: A prospective, randomized controlled trial

Background

Pain management, as a key component of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), can effectively relieve perioperative pain and anxiety. However, there are few studies on the application of pain management based on ERAS in pediatric surgery patients. We aimed to examine the effect of ERAS‐based perioperative pain management in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) undergoing adenotonsillectomy.

Methods

From March 2021 to July 2021, a randomized controlled single‐blind study was conducted on children with OSA and scheduled to undergo adenotonsillectomy. The children were randomly assigned to either control group (n = 60) or ERAS group (n = 60). Traditional analgesia measures were provided to children in the control group, whereas ERAS‐based optimized analgesia measures were provided to children in the ERAS group. The pain scores, anxiety scores and diet quality scores were compared between the two groups.

Results

The pain scores after surgery in the ERAS group were significantly lower than those in the control group at 6 h, 1 day, 3 days, and 5 days after surgery. Furthermore, the diet quality scores in the ERAS group were significantly higher than those in the control group at 6 h, 1 day, 3 days, and 5 days after surgery. The anxiety scores after surgery in the ERAS group were significantly lower than those in the control group.

Conclusions

Perioperative pain management based on ERAS can significantly alleviate postoperative pain, improve quality of life, and promote the accelerated rehabilitation of children with OSA undergoing adenotonsillectomy.

Level of evidence

1.

A scoping review of randomized clinical trials for pain management in pediatric tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy

Objectives

To examine the volume, topics, and reporting trends in the published literature of randomized clinical trials for pharmacologic pain management of pediatric tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy and to identify areas requiring further research.

Data Sources

PubMed (National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health), Scopus (Elsevier), CINAHL (EBSCO), and Cochrane Library (Wiley).

Methods

A systematic search of four databases was conducted. Only randomized controlled or comparison trials examining pain improvement with a pharmacologic intervention in pediatric tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy were included. Data collected included demographics, pain-related outcomes, sedation scores, nausea/vomiting, postoperative bleeding, types of drug comparisons, modes of administration, timing of administration, and identities of the investigated drugs.

Results

One hundred and eighty-nine studies were included for analysis. Most studies included validated pain scales, with the majority using visual-assisted scales (49.21%). Fewer studies examined pain beyond 24 h postoperation (24.87%), and few studies included a validated sedation scale (12.17%). Studies have compared several different dimensions of pharmacologic treatment, including different drugs, timing of administration, modes of administration, and dosages. Only 23 (12.17%) studies examined medications administered postoperatively, and only 29 (15.34%) studies examined oral medications. Acetaminophen only had four self-comparisons.

Conclusion

Our work provides the first scoping review of pain and pediatric tonsillectomy. With drug safety profiles considered, the literature does not have enough data to determine which treatment regimen provides superior pain control in pediatric tonsillectomy. Even common drugs like acetaminophen and ibuprofen require further research for optimizing the treatment of posttonsillectomy pain. The heterogeneity in study design and comparisons weakens the conclusions of potential systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Future directions include more noninferiority studies of unique comparisons and more studies examining oral medications given postoperatively.

Anesthetic injections and analgesia use in pediatric post-tonsillectomy patients: A meta-analysis and systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of local anesthetic injection on post-operative analgesia and complications for pediatric tonsillectomies on post-operative day (POD) 0 and 1.

METHODS

A 2-researcher team following the PRISMA guidelines performed a systematic review and meta-analysis. The databases Pubmed.gov, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were used. Studies written with original data utilizing a saline injection control arm were selected. Corresponding authors were contacted for missing data, which was used when possible. The collated data was analyzed with Review Manager (RevMan) Version 5.4., The Cochrane Collaboration, 2020. Surgical technique subgroup analysis was performed.

RESULTS

319 publications were identified and 8 articles with 12 total experimental arms (529 participants) were selected. Local anesthetic injection was compared to saline injection. The standard mean difference for time until first analgesic was 0.68 min [0.26, 1.09](P = 0.001) in favor of local anesthetic. The odds ratio (OR) for patients receiving one or more narcotic doses on POD 0 was 0.22 [0.06, 0.84](P = 0.03) in favor of local anesthetic.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of an intraoperative anesthetic injection during pediatric tonsillectomy can help improve initial recovery as it delays the need for narcotic medication and may reduce postoperative narcotic usage on POD 0 and 1. In addition, a local anesthetic does not increase the risk of postoperative bleeding or dehydration.

Efficacy of bupivacaine infiltration for controlling post-tonsillectomy pain, duration of surgery and post-operative morbidities: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The objective of the present review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of bupivacaine during tonsillectomy in terms of reducing the mean operative procedure duration, post-operative pain and the onset of post-operative morbidities. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed to perform a systematic literature search using the MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases. The present meta-analysis sought to evaluate the efficacy of bupivacaine administered during tonsillectomy as compared to the administration of normal saline. The efficacy of the intervention was evaluated based on pain scores using the visual analogue scale, the duration of the operation and the occurrence of post-operative morbidities. Out of 1,427 records, 15 articles with 729 participants (mean age, 10.2±6.7 years) were included in the study. The present systematic review supported the use of bupivacaine during tonsillectomy at a level of evidence of 1b and confirmed beneficial effects of bupivacaine intervention by demonstrating small to large effect reductions in the visual analog scale score (Hedge's g, -1.48), the mean duration of the operative procedure (Hedge's g, -1.35) and the incidence of post-operative morbidity (Hedge's g, -0.23) in comparison to the placebo groups treated with normal saline. Based on these results, the administration of bupivacaine is recommended during tonsillectomies to reduce the perceived level of pain, the duration of the operation and the post-operative morbidity.

#10-Year Challenge: Local anaesthetic for post-tonsillectomy pain: Update meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Adequate management of post-tonsillectomy pain is an important consideration in postoperative management after tonsillectomy. A 2008 meta-analysis showed that the use of local anaesthetic either by infiltration or topical application reduced postoperative pain.

OBJECTIVES

To review the current evidence for the use of local anaesthetic as a means of reducing post-tonsillectomy pain and compare current evidence to the previous meta-analysis 10 years ago.

METHOD

Systematic literature searches of MEDLINE [*"ANESTHETICS, LOCAL"/ AND *TONSILLECTOMY/], EMBASE [*"LOCAL ANESTHETIC AGENT"/ AND *TONSILLECTOMY/] and PubMed [(Tonsillectomy).ti,ab AND (Local Anaesthetic).ti,ab OR (Local Anesthetic).ti,ab]. A meta-analysis of randomised control trials assessing the use of local anaesthetic agents for post-tonsillectomy pain.

RESULTS

Twenty-three studies were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, local anaesthetic, applied topically or infiltrated, significantly reduces pain scores compared with controls at 4-6 hours [-0.65 (95% CI: -0.77; -0.53)]; 24 hours [-0.50 (95% CI: -0.66, -0.35)]; and 5-7 days [-0.78 (95% CI: -0.90, -0.65)] (standardised mean differences).

CONCLUSION

Current studies suggest that use of peri-operative local anaesthetic during tonsillectomy does improve postoperative pain outcomes. The limitations of the analysis are as follows: all studies are small, and a multi-centred larger trial is recommended to guarantee statistical reliability. There was no description of significant adverse side effects from local anaesthetic use.

Role of Preincisional Peritonsillar Infiltration of Bupivacaine in Postoperative Pain Relief in Tonsillectomy Patients

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures carried out in ENT since ancient time, is associated with several morbidities in which the pain and bleeding being the commonest and can cause considerable delay in starting oral intake and discharge from the hospital. Different methods have been used to reduce posttonsillectomy pain including use of opioids, sucralfate and local anaesthetics. Local anaesthetics in the form of pre-incisional or post-incisional peritonsillar infiltration and also topical post-incisional spray or packing are some of the most effective methods for post-tonsillectomy pain management. In our hospital, a study was carried out for preincisional peritonsillar infiltration of 0.5% bupivacaine in tonsillectomy patients for post operative pain relief. Written informed valid consent was taken, all routine investigations were done. Pre anaesthetic check up was done and bupivacaine test dose was given, none of the patients showed allergic reactions. Our study showed that this is effective method of controlling post operative pain. Patients receiving bupivacaine showed lower pain scores 6 h post operatively. The mean pain scores for Bupivacaine group were 2.85, 5.52 and 7.04 versus 5.04, 7.04 and 7.61 in saline group at 2, 4, and 6 h post operatively (t value significant). Pre incisional peritonsillar infiltration of 0.5% bupivacaine significantly reduces postoperative pain till 6 h, thereby reducing the need of analgesics intraoperatively and post operatively. Oral intake was also earlier without any adverse effects in our study.

Comparison of the Perioperative and Postoperative Effects of Levobupivacaine and of Levobupivacaine + Adrenaline in Pediatric Tonsillectomy: A Double-Blind Randomized Study

Objectives

We aimed to assess the effects of levobupivacaine and of levobupivacaine + adrenaline administered during pediatric tonsillectomy on the postoperative period.

Methods

A total of 90 patients between the ages of five and twelve were divided randomly into two groups before tonsillectomy: levobupivacaine only (0.5%) 0.4 mg·kg⁻¹ or levobupivacaine (0.5%) 0.4 mg·kg⁻¹ + adrenaline (1 : 200.000) administered by means of peritonsillar infiltration. Primary outcomes were postoperative pain scores recorded at various intervals until 24 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), time to first oral intake, time to the first administration of analgesics and total consumption of analgesics, and the amount of bleeding for all children.

Results

In both groups, patients had the same postoperative pain scores and PONV rates, and equal amounts of analgesics were consumed up to 24 hours postoperatively. The two groups also had the same time until first oral intake, recovery time and time to the first analgesic request, and amount of bleeding.

Conclusions

Perioperative levobupivacaine infiltration on its own is a valid alternative to the combination of levobupivacaine + adrenaline for perioperative and postoperative effectiveness in pediatric tonsillectomy. This trial is registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN: ACTRN12617001167358.

Comparison of topical ropivacaine with and without ketamine on post-surgical pain in children undergoing tonsillectomy: a randomized controlled double-blind study

PURPOSE

Tonsillectomy in pediatric patients may cause severe postoperative pain. Topical local anesthetics are an easy and safe way to control post-tonsillectomy pain, but there is no benefit during the early postoperative stage. Topical ketamine shows a good effect on early stage postoperative pain. We compared the effect of topical ropivacaine with and without ketamine on post-tonsillectomy pain.

METHODS

Patients aged 3-7 years undergoing tonsillectomy were selected to participate in the study. Our study was performed in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind manner. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups using computer-generated random numbers. The researchers who assessed the pain score, the caregivers, and the patient were blinded to group assignment. One group received topical ropivacaine with saline (RS group) and the other group received topical ropivacaine with 20 mg ketamine (RK group) on the tonsillar bed. Pain scores using the modified Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (mCHEOPS) at 15 min and 30 min, and at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 h were recorded. Rescue analgesic requirement and complications were also recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 66 patients were randomly assigned to the RS group (n = 33) and the RK group (n = 33). The mCHEOPS scores were significantly lower in the RK group at 15 min (P = 0.046). The mCHEOPS scores of the two groups decreased with time, but there was no intergroup interaction. The RS group received more analgesics until 1 h after surgery and the RK group received more analgesics during 1-24 h after surgery. There were no differences in adverse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Topical ropivacaine with ketamine can reduce immediate postoperative pain and analgesic requirement better than ropivacaine alone.

Preemptive peritonsillar infiltration with bupivacaine in combination with tramadol improves pediatric post-tonsillectomy pain better than using bupivacaine or tramadol alone: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind clinical trial

Background:

Post-tonsillectomy pain is one of the most common problems after anesthesia, therefore use of a good anesthesia technique with minimum side effect is an important aim. This study was performed to compare the efficacy of peritonsillar infiltration of bupivacaine, tramadol and combination of bupivacaine-tramadol in post-tonsillectomy pain.

Materials and Methods:

In a double blind trial 120 ASA I and II children condidated for tonsillectomy were randomized into four groups: Peritonsillar infiltration with bupivacaine 1 mg/kg in Group B, tramadol 2 mg/kg in Group T, combination of bupivacaine-tramadol in Group BT and saline in Group C was done.

Results:

Until 60 minutes in the recovery room, control of pain in the first three groups were better than Group C (P < 0.05) and in the third group it was better than others. Four hours after surgery, control of pain was better in the second and third groups in comparison to Groups B and Group C (P <0.05) and was better in the third group in comparison to the second group. Then, 24 hours after that, only in the group III the control of pain was effective (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

In this study we showed that peritonsillar infiltration with combination of bupivacain-tramadol provided less post surgery pain compared with infiltration of bupivacaine and tramadol alone in adenotonsillectomy of children.

Pre-emptive peritonsillar dexamethasone vs. levobupivacaine infiltration for relief of post-adenotonsillectomy pain in children: a controlled clinical study

OBJECTIVES

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).

CONCLUSION

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.

Ropivacaine plus dexamethasone infiltration reduces postoperative pain after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of ropivacaine plus dexamethasone and ropivacaine alone as infiltration anesthesia on postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, and oral intake in children after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

METHODS

Two hundred pediatric patients scheduled for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were prospectively enrolled and randomly placed in a ropivacaine with dexamethasone group (RD) or a ropivacaine alone group (R). Treatment for both groups was administered by local infiltration, and pain scores were recorded at various intervals. Primary outcomes were pain scores recorded 4-24h postoperation. Secondary outcomes included time to the first administration of analgesic and total consumption of analgesics for all children, time to first water request, first oral intake, incidence of nausea or vomiting, and time to discharge.

RESULTS

From postoperative hours 4-24, children in the RD group had lower pain scores than children in the R group (P < 0.05). Total fentanyl consumption was significantly decreased in the RD group compared to the R group (50.9 ± 9.3 vs. 103.9 ± 11.5 μg, P < 0.001). The time to first water request and first oral intake were significantly shorter in the RD group [(40 min (27-64) vs. 64 min (43-89); P < 0.001) and (54 min (40-91) vs. 85 min (67-127); P < 0.001), respectively]. Oral intake was significantly improved, and the incidence of nausea and vomiting were reduced in the RD group (P < 0.05). The time to discharge was shorter in the RD group when compared with the R group (9.06 ± 0.89 d vs. 7.05 ± 0.71 d; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Ropivacaine plus dexamethasone infiltration effectively lowers pain, improves oral intake, lowers postoperative nausea and vomiting, and decreases the time to discharge.

The comparison of preincisional peritonsillar infiltration of ketamine and tramadol for postoperative pain relief on children following adenotonsillectomy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate and compare the effectiveness of preincisional peritonsillar infiltration of ketamine and tramadol for post-operative pain on children following adenotonsillectomy.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective randomized double blind controlled study.

METHODS

Seventy-five children aged 3-10 years undergoing adenotonsillectomy were included in study. Patients received injections in peritonsillar fossa of tramadol (2 mg/kg-2 ml), ketamine (0.5 mg/kg-2 ml) or 2 ml serum physiologic. During operation heart rate, oxygen saturation, average mean blood pressures were recorded in every 5 min. Operation, anesthesia and the time that Alderete scores 9-10, patient satisfaction, analgesic requirements were recorded. Postoperatively nausea, vomiting, sedation, dysphagia, bleeding scores were recorded at 0, 10, 30, 60 min and 2, 4, 8, 12, 18, 24h postoperatively. Pain was evaluated using modified Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (mCHEOPS) at fixed intervals after the procedure (15 min and 1, 4, 12, 16, and 24h postoperatively).

RESULTS

The recordings of heart rate, mean arterial pressure, nausea, vomiting, sedation and bleeding scores were similar in all groups (p>0.05). The mCHEOPS scores at 10 min, 30 min, 1h, 8h were significantly lower in both tramadol and ketamine group when compared with control (p<0.05). Use of additional analgesia at 10 min and 18 h were higher in control group than ketamine, tramadol group (p<0.05). Dysphagia scores were significantly lower for both ketamine and tramadol group when compared with control group (p<0.05). mCHEOPS, additional analgesia, dysphagia, patient satisfaction scores were similar in tramadol, ketamine groups (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Preincisional injection of ketamine and tramadol prior to tonsillectomy is safe, effective method and equivalent for post-tonsillectomy pain, patient satisfaction, postoperative nausea, vomiting, dysphagia.

Comparison of ropivacaine, bupivacaine and lidocaine in the management of post-tonsillectomy pain

OBJECTIVES

To compare the efficacy of preoperative peritonsillar injection of ropivacaine, bupivacaine and lidocaine for pediatric tonsillectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between March 2009 and April 2012, 120 patients (66 males and 54 females) between ages of 4 and 13 years were included to the study. After informed consent was obtained from the parents, the patients were randomized into four groups. In Group 1 (31 patients, mean age 8.40 ± 4.05 years) received topical lidocaine hydrochloride with 1:100,000 epinephrine was applied to surgical bed following tonsillectomy. Group 2 (29 patients, mean age 8.15 ± 4.20 years) and group 3 (31 patients, mean age 7.75 ± 3.95 years) were administered 0.25% bupivacaine hydrochloride with 1:200,000 epinephrine and 0.5% ropivacaine respectively. In Group 4 (29 patients, mean age 8.15 ± 4.20 years) topical 0.9% saline was used. The operation time, postoperative pain, amount of intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hemorrhage and complications were assessed. The intensity of pain was scored on a visual analogue scale. The patients were followed up for 3 weeks after surgery.

RESULTS

The difference between mean operative time of the three groups against saline injected group was statistically significant (p<0.001). The difference between mean intraoperative blood loss of the lidocaine group against three groups was statistically significant (p<0.001). None of the patients in four groups experienced primary and secondary hemorrhage. The difference between mean pain score between ropovacaine and bupivacaine groups was not statistically significant (p>0.001). The difference between mean pain score of the two groups against lidocaine and saline groups was statistically significant (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Ropivacaine infiltration is as effective as bupivacaine for post-tonsillectomy pain management in children. In view of potential side effects of bupivacaine-epinephrin combination, ropivacaine is a safer choice, for post-tonsillectomy pain relief.

The efficacy of intra-articular injections for pain control following the closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of pediatric supracondylar humeral fractures: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial was to compare the analgesic efficacy of intra-articular injections of bupivacaine or ropivacaine with that of no injection for postoperative pain control after the operative treatment of supracondylar humeral fractures in a pediatric population.

METHODS

Subjects (n=124) were randomized to treatment with 0.25% bupivacaine (Group B) (n=42), 0.20% ropivacaine (Group R) (n=39), or no injection (Group C) (n=43). The opioid doses and the times of administration as well as child-reported pain severity (Faces Pain Scale-Revised) and parent-reported pain severity (Total Quality Pain Management survey) were recorded.

RESULTS

The proportion of subjects who required morphine and/or fentanyl injections was significantly (p=0.004) lower in Group B (10%) as compared with Group R (36%) and Group C (44%). On the basis of the log-rank test, the opioid-free survival rates were significantly greater in Group B as compared to Groups C and R. Total opioid consumption (morphine equivalent mg/kg) in the first seventy-two hours postoperatively was significantly less in Group B as compared with Group C (mean difference, 0.225; [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.0152 to 0.435]; p=0.036). Parent-reported pain scores were also significantly lower in Group B as compared with both Group C (mean difference, 1.81 [95% CI, 0.38 to 3.25]; p=0.014) and Group R (mean difference, 1.66; 95% CI, 0.20 to 3.12; p=0.027). There were no significant differences across the three groups in terms of self-reported pain. Differences between Groups R and C were not significant for any of the outcome variables.

CONCLUSIONS

The intra-articular injection of 0.25% bupivacaine significantly improves postoperative pain control following the closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of supracondylar humeral fractures in pediatric patients.

Effects of levobupivacaine versus bupivacaine infiltration on postoperative analgesia in pediatric tonsillectomy patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

OBJECTIVES

We compared the effects of levobupivacaine hydrochloride, bupivacaine hydrochloride, and saline injections in alleviating posttonsillectomy pain.

METHODS

Between November 2009 and April 2010, we recruited 60 patients (36 male and 24 female) between 2 and 12 years of age into the study. After informed consent was obtained from the parents, patients admitted for tonsillectomy were randomized into 3 groups by means of sealed envelopes. Group 1 (20 patients; mean age, 6.45+/-2.78 years) received 0.9% sodium chloride (saline solution), group 2 (20 patients; mean age, 5.60+/-2.70 years) received 0.25% levobupivacaine hydrochloride, and group 3 (20 patients; mean age, 5.85+/-2.43 years) received 0.5% bupivacaine hydrochloride infiltrated around each tonsil. Pain was evaluated with McGrath's face scale.

RESULTS

The postoperative pain scores at 1 and 5 hours were similar among the groups (p>0.05). The pain scores in the levobupivacaine group were lower than those in the saline group at 13 hours (p<0.017). The pain scores in the bupivacaine and levobupivacaine groups were significantly lower than those in the saline group from 17 to 21 hours until day 6 (p>0.017). There was no difference between the levobupivacaine and bupivacaine groups (p>0.017).

CONCLUSIONS

Local infiltration of levobupivacaine is a relatively safe and effective method and is equivalent to use of bupivacaine for posttonsillectomy pain.

Comparison of peritonsillar levobupivacaine and bupivacaine infiltration for post-tonsillectomy pain relief in children: placebo-controlled clinical study

OBJECTIVES

To compare the effects of preincisional peritonsillar infiltration of levobupivacaine and bupivacaine on post-tonsillectomy pain in children.

METHODS

Sixty children undergoing elective tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy were randomly allocated into three groups before tonsillectomy: peritonsillar infiltrations with 0.25% levobupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine (group levobupivacaine, n=20), 0.25% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine (group bupivacaine, n=20), and normal saline (group saline, n=20) were applied. Pain was evaluated by using a modified Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (mCHEOPS). Choice of additional analgesic was acetaminophen for all patients.

RESULTS

mCHEOPS values at 0th (immediately) and 30th minute after arrival the PACU were lower in both the local anesthetics groups than the saline group (p<0.001, p<0.01 for the group levobupivacaine; p<0.001, p<0.05 for the group bupivacaine, respectively). In addition, mCHEOPS values at 1st hour in the ward was lower in the group bupivacaine when compared to the group saline (p<0.05). Analgesic requirements and the time to first analgesia required, were also significantly different between the local anesthetic and saline groups (p<0.05 for both local anesthetics groups). Time to first mobilization was shorter in both local anesthetic groups when compared to the saline group (p<0.05 for both local anesthetic groups).

CONCLUSION

Preincisional peritonsillar infiltration with levobupivacaine or bupivacaine before tonsillectomy, are effective than saline, in reducing early post-tonsillectomy pain, where as bupivacaine had slightly longer effect. Compared to saline, with both anesthetic infiltrations, lesser medication for analgesia is required. The clinical trial registration number (Research Ethics Committee of Medical Faculty, Uludag University): 2008-4/36, 19 February 2008.

Does preincisional injection of levobupivacaine with epinephrine have any benefits for children undergoing tonsillectomy? An intraindividual evaluation

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of peritonsillar injection of levobupivacaine with epinephrine in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy, through an intraindividual study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

20 children (age 6-13 years) undergoing elective tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, intraindividual trial. After entubation and just prior to incision, 3 ml of 0.25% levobupivacaine with epinephrine was injected into one peritonsillar region while 0.9% saline was being used for the contralateral side. Amount of intraoperative blood loss, duration of tonsillectomy, postoperative pain, otalgia and hemorrhage were assessed for each side separately. Visual analog scale was used for postoperative pain assessment. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure during and after operation were also observed. The follow-up period after surgery was 10 days.

RESULTS

Median visual analog scale values for the levobupivacaine with epinephrine injected side was significantly lower than the saline injected side, during the first postoperative 16h (p<0.05). There were also significant differences between the intraoperative blood losses of the two sides (p<0.05). However; no significant differences were observed with respect to duration of surgery, postoperative otalgia and hemorrhage (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Preincisional injection of levobupivacaine with epinephrine decreases early postoperative pain and intraoperative blood loss as well.

Bupivacaine versus normal saline for relief of post-adenotonsillectomy pain in children: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

A meta-analysis was performed to explore the role of peri-operative bupivacaine infiltration in the relief of pain in adenotonsillectomy.

METHODS

Data from Medline, EMBase, Springer and the Cochrane Collaboration database were searched. Reference lists from identified publications were scanned. RevMan 5.0 software was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

7 random controlled tests (a total of 286 cases) were included. Pain intensity was evaluated by VAS score or Cheops score. The pain of group bupivacaine (Group B) was less severe than group placebo (Group P). Analgesic requirement of Group B was less than Group P. Nevertheless the difference of complication between bupivacaine and placebo had no statistical difference.

CONCLUSION

Bupivacaine infiltration is a safe and effective method for relief of pediatric post-adenotonsillectomy pain.

The effects of topical levobupivacaine on morbidity in pediatric tonsillectomy patients

OBJECTIVE

To reduce the post-tonsillectomy morbidity by swab soaked with 5 ml levobupivacaine hydroclorur (25 mg/10 ml).

STUDY DESIGN

A double-blind prospective randomized controlled clinical study.

METHODS

In this randomized double-blind study in group I (30 children, mean age 7.5+/-2.6) we tightly packed swab soaked with 5 ml levobupivacaine hydroclorur (25mg/10 ml) and in group II (21 children, mean age 7.9+/-3.7) we used 5 ml saline swabs into each of the two tonsillar fossae after tonsillectomy for 5 min. We used McGrath's face scale to compare the two groups in respect of pain control.

RESULTS

There was statistically significant pain relieving effect in the levobupivacaine group in the first 24h (p<0.05). But after 24h pain relieving effect of levobupivacaine was not significant (p>0.05). We did not see any serious complications for both groups. Postoperative morbidity mean results (nausea, vomiting, fever, bleeding, halitosis and ear pain) were not statistically different between the two groups (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Topical levobupivacaine seems to be a safe and easy medication for postoperative pain control in pediatric tonsillectomy patients.

Effects of preoperative local ropivacaine infiltration on postoperative pain scores in infants and small children undergoing elective cleft palate repair

Previous data have shown that preoperative analgesia may reduce postoperative analgesic demands. The aim of the current study was to determine if preincisional ropivacaine infiltration may reduce postoperative oral pain in infants and small children undergoing elective cleft palate patients.Twenty nonsyndromic cleft palate patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. Injection with ropivacaine hydrochloride, at dose of 0.2 mg/kg, was performed by submucous infiltration of the proposed incisional site groups of patients. In control group, no medication was given before cleft palate repair under general anesthesia. Postoperative pain scores were measured according to Children and Infants Postoperative Pain Scale. Heart rate recordings and noninvasive blood pressure measurements were also done in all the patients.Measurements of Children and Infants Postoperative Pain Scale scores at all the observational postoperative periods showed significantly favorable values in ropivacaine group than in control group (P < 0.05). Six patients in the control group required rescue analgesia, whereas 2 patients required analgesic therapy in the treatment group.Preemptive analgesia using ropivacaine may enhance early postoperative comfort by reducing early postoperative pain in primary cleft repair.

The effects of levobupivacaine versus levobupivacaine plus magnesium infiltration on postoperative analgesia and laryngospasm in pediatric tonsillectomy patients

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the addition of magnesium to levobupivacaine will decrease the postoperative analgesic requirement or not, and to investigate the possible preventive effects on laryngospasm.

METHODS

Seventy-five children undergoing elective tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy surgery. The drug was prepared as only NaCl 0.9% for the first group (Group S, n=25), levobupivacaine 0.25% for the second group (Group L, n=25), and levobupivacaine 0.25% plus magnesium sulphate 2mg/kg for the third group (Group M, n=25). Pain was recorded at 15th minute, 1st, 4th, 8th, 16th, and 24th hour postoperatively. Pain was evaluated using a modified Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario pain scale (mCHEOPS). Incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was assessed at various time intervals (0-2, 2-6, 6-24h) by numeric rank score. Patients were followed for laryngospasm for 1h in recovery room after extubation. Other complications appeared within 24h postoperatively were recorded.

RESULTS

All postoperative CHEOPS values were lower than control in both groups. Analgesic requirement was decreased significantly in both groups in comparison with control patients, but this requirement was significantly lower in Group M (p<0.05). Although laryngospasm was not observed in Group M, the difference between groups was not statistically significant. PONV was similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Levobupivacaine and Levobupivacaine plus magnesium infiltration decrease the post-tonsillectomy analgesic requirement. Insignificant preventive effect of low doses of magnesium infiltration on laryngospasm observed in this study needs to be clarified by larger series.

Does topical ropivacaine reduce the post-tonsillectomy morbidity in pediatric patients?

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether post-operative administration of topical ropivacaine hydrochloride decreases morbidity following adenotonsillectomy.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

SETTING

University referral center; ENT Department.

PARTICIPANTS

Fourty one children, aged 4-16 years, undergoing tonsillectomy.

METHODS

Patients received 1.0% ropivacaine hydrochloride soaked swabs packed in their tonsillar fossae while the control group received saline-soaked swabs. Mc Grath's face scale was used to compare the two groups in respect of pain control. Chi-square and two-tailed unpaired Student's t-tests or Mann-Whitney-U-tests were used to compare the two independent groups. As 10 we made 11 comparison between groups, for Bonferroni correction, p<0.005 was accepted as statistically significant.

RESULTS

Only first hour there was no significant pain-relieving effect seen in the ropivacaine group (p>0.05). The other hours and days there were statistically significance between the two groups (p<0.001). Also, the other post-operative parameters such as nausea, fever, vomiting, odor, bleeding, otalgia and trismus were not statistically different between the two groups. There were no complications associated with ropivacaine hydrochloride. No patients in this study suffered systemic side effects related to the use of this medication.

CONCLUSION

Locally 1.0% ropivacaine administration significantly relieves the pain of pediatric tonsillectomy and, it is a safe and effective method. High concentrations of ropivaciane may produce clinically significant pain relief. It is more effective to reduce of post-operative analgesic requirement after first hour.

Role of Bupivacaine in reducing post tonsillectomy pain

Pain following tonsilleclomy is of major concern to both the surgeons and the Anesthesiologists. Pre-incisional Bupivacaine infiltration into the tonsillar fossa has been used as a method of relieving post-operative pain in children. In this study pre-incisional Bupivacaine infiltration into the tonsillar fossa resulted in immediate post-operative pain lasting four to six hours.