• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.192-196
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• 2006

Background: Epidural opioids are commonly used for postoperative analgesia. However, the side effects of epidural opioids include respiratory depression, sedation, pruritus, nausea, vomiting and urinary retention. Meperidine, due to its intermediate lipid solubility and local anesthetic properties, permits postoperative analgesia. The aim of this study was to compare meperidine alone to meperidine coupled with bupivacaine, and to determine the effects of epidural meperidine without bupivacaine, when used for epidural analgesia following hepatectomy abdominal surgery. Methods: Patients received thoracic epidural analgesia with meperidine alone (3.5 mg/ml in saline) or with additional bupivacaine (0.15%) for 2 days after surgery. Postoperative pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) pain score 2 days after the operation, with the incidence and dose supplementation also evaluated. Postoperative side effects were assessed using a 3 grade system. Results: No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of age and weight, or in the pain scores, side effects, incidence and dose supplementation. Conclusions: 3.5 mg/ml epidural meperidine at a dose of 2 ml/hr provides effective postoperative analgesia.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.42-48
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• 2006

Open reduction and rigid internal fixation is the most popular treatment method for maxillofacial fracture patients, and it is unevitable that postoperative pain can be developed. Many surgeons including oral & maxillofacial surgeons have made constant efforts to decrease postoperative pain. This study is a comparison of postoperative analgesia and intramuscular analgesia in patients with mandibular fractures. In this study, twenty-one patients (Experimental group) were randomly selected and they were injected with IV patient-controlled analgesia (PCA; Walkmed$^{(R)}$, USA). For control group another twenty-one patients were injected with intramusclar non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (Rheoma$^{(R)}$, Samsung Pharm. Co.). And then, we measured visual analogue scale (VAS) scores from first postoperative day to second day at regular time interval. The following results were uptained; 1. In patient group who with open reduction and rigid internal fixation, there was significant difference of postoperative analgesic effect during the first postoperative day(p<0.05). 2. In patient group with over 90 minutes surgery time, there was significant difference of postoperative analgesic effect during the first and second postoperative day when compared between experimental group and control group(p<0.05). 3. In patient group with less than 90 minutes surgery time, there was no significant difference of postoperative analgesic effect during the first and second postoperative day when compared between experimental group and control group(p>0.05). 4. In patient group with surgery of open reduction using rigid internal fixation at single fractured site, there was no significant difference of postoperative analgesic effect during the first and second postoperative day when compared between experimental group and control group(p>0.05). 5. In patient group with surgery at two fractured sites, there was significant difference of postoperative analgesic effect during the first postoperative day when compared between experimental group and control group(p<0.05). As mentioned above, it suggest that patient-controlled analgesia is more effective for postoperative pain relief than intramuscular injection in patients with rigid internal fixation by open reduction after mandibular fracture occurred. Especially, it is considered that in patient with more than 90 minutes surgery time or in cases with multiple fractured sites had more effective results with PCA therapy than conventional intramuscular analgesics.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 1998

Postoperative pain following tonsillectomy remains a significant obstacle to speedy recovery and smooth convalescence. Inadequate analgesia causes poor oral intake and influences the length of hospital stay and ability to return to normal activity. Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) is a method of analgesia adminstration that consists of a computer driven pump with a button that the patient may press to adminster a small dose of analgesic drug. The aim of this study was to examine whether Intravenous Patient Controlled Analgesia (IV-PCA) can reduce postoperative pain after tonsillectomy. The 100 patients undergoing tonsillectomy with general anesthesia were divided into two groups. The PCA group patients (n=80) received a mixture of nalbuphine and ketorolac by Walkmed PCA infusor during first 48 postoperative hours. In control group (n=20), the patients received oral acetoaminophen (Tyrenol) regularly and tiaprofenic acid (Surgam) intramuscularly on a p.r.n basis. Analgesic efficacy was evaluated with visual linear analogue scale (VAS) and the adverse effects were evaluated with 4 point scale. The patients of PCA group had less pain than those of control group. The adverse effects in the PCA group were nausea and vomiting. This study suggests that IV-PCA may be safe and effective method of pain control after adult tonsillectomy and is better accepted than oral or intramuscular pain medications.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.192-196
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• 2016

Background: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia for control of postoperative pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Methods: Between May 2012 and August 2014, 60 patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with acromioplasty and received patient-controlled analgesia were studied prospectively. Cases were divided into 2 groups: combined subacromial and intravenous infusion group (group A, 30 cases) and solitary intravenous infusion group (group B, 30 cases). The visual analogue scale was used to record the patient's level of pain every 12 hours during postoperative 72 hours and the following 48 hours after the suspension of patient-controlled analgesia. Results: The mean preoperative visual analogue scale score was 7.8 in group A and 7.6 in group B, and the immediate postoperative visual analogue scale score was 7.9 and 8.1 for each group. At postoperative time (From 12 hours to 72 hours after operation), the scores of combined subacromial and intravenous infusion were significantly lower than those of solitary intravenous infusion. Significant difference in the frequency of supplemental analgesic injections was observed between group A and group B (p=0.008). However, no significant difference in complication rate was observed between the two groups (p=0.562). Conclusions: Combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is more effective than solitary intravenous infusion without significantly increasing complications. Therefore, combined subacromial and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia could be a effective pain control method.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2013

Background: Good postoperative pain control is an important part of adequate postoperative care. Patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) provided better postoperative analgesia compared to other conventional analgesic methods, but several risks have been observed as well. We therefore surveyed the efficacy and safety of PCEA in this retrospective observational study. Methods: We analyzed collected data on 2,276 elective surgical patients who received PCEA with ropivacaine and fentanyl. Patients were assessed by a PCA service team in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), at 1-6 h, 6-24 h, and 24-48 h postoperatively for adequate pain control. The presence of PCEA-related adverse events was also assessed. Results: Numerical pain score (median [interquartile range]) were 3 [1-4], 5 [4-7], 4 [3-5], and 3 [3-5] in the PACU, at 1-6 h, 6-24 h, and 24-48 h postoperatively. Median pain scores in patients underwent major abdominal or thoracic surgery were higher than other surgical procedure in the PACU, at 1-6 h after surgery. Nausea and vomiting (20%) and numbness and motor weakness (15%) were revealed as major PCEA-related adverse events during the postoperative 48 h period. There were 329 patients (14%) for whom PCEA was ceased within 48 h following surgery. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the use of PCEA provides proper analgesia in the postoperative 48 h period after a wide variety of surgical procedures and that is associated with few serious complications. However, more careful pain management and sustainable PCEA monitoring considering the type of surgical procedure undergone is needed in patients with PCEA.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.200-209
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• 2014

Background: Spinal opioid administration is an excellent option to separate the desirable analgesic effects of opioids from their expected dose-limiting side effects to improve postoperative analgesia. Therefore, physicians must better identify either specific opioids or adequate doses and routes of administration that result in a mainly spinal site of action rather than a cerebral analgesic one. Methods: The purpose of this topical review is to describe current available clinical evidence to determine what opioids reach high enough concentrations to produce spinally selective analgesia when given by epidural or intrathecal routes and also to make recommendations regarding their rational and safety use for the best management of postoperative pain. To this end, a search of Medline/Embase was conducted to identify all articles published up to December 2013 on this topic. Results: Recent advances in spinal opioid bioavailability, based on both animals and humans trials support the theory that spinal opioid bioavailability is inversely proportional to the drug lipid solubility, which is higher in hydrophilic opioids like morphine, diamorphine and hydromorphone than lipophilic ones like alfentanil, fentanyl and sufentanil. Conclusions: Results obtained from meta-analyses of RTCs is considered to be the 'highest' level and support their use. However, it's a fact that meta-analyses based on studies about treatment of postoperative pain should explore clinical surgery heterogeneity to improve patient's outcome. This observation forces physicians to use of a specific procedure surgical-based practical guideline. A vigilance protocol is also needed to achieve a good postoperative analgesia in terms of efficacy and security.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.382-387
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• 1999

The concept of PCA(Patient Controlled Analgesia) was first described in 1968, by Sechzer. The earliest descriptions of actual self-administered PCA machines were by Forrest et al. In gastric bypass surgery, cesarian section, orthopedic surgery etc, PCA is widely used in the control of postoperative pain. Previous Studies have shown that PCA provides effective pain-control for the postoperative patient. The postoperative pain-control is a problem that should be solved in surgery. Especially in orthognathic surgery, it is not same as in the case of maxillofacial trauma surgery or of tumor surgery: most orthognathic surgery patients are under operation not accustomed to pains, and difficulties in pain-complaint due to IMF(Intermaxillary fixation), postoperative nausea, and vomiting are additional problem. In this study, we have compared PCA and IM analgesics with respect not only to time request but also to the quality of postoperative pain control.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.185-190
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• 1997

Background: Preemptive analgesia is an antinociceptive treatment that prevents the establishment of altered central processing which amplifies postoperative pain. A controversy exists over the effectiveness and clinical value of preemptive analgesia. We studied whether epidural bupivacaine and fentanyl prior to surgery could possibly affect postoperative pain and analgesic demands, as compared to administration of same at end of surgery. Methods: Forty patients scheduled for lower abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to one of two groups and prospectively studied in a double-blind method. Group 1(n=20) received epidural injection of 15 ml bupivacaine 0.25% with fentanyl 100 y g before surgery while group 2(n=20) received the same injection at the end of their surgery respectively. Postoperative analgesia consisted of basal plus patient-controlled mode of epidural bupivacaine and fentanyl from PCA system. Postoperative visual analog pain scores(VAPS), analgesics consumption, supplementary analgesics requirement and side effects were assessed for 3 postoperative days. Results: There were no significant difference in analgesics requirement and pain scores, at any time, during rest or after movement, in measurement between the groups. Conclusions: We conclude no clinical value of effectiveness in administering epidural bupivacaine-fentanyl before surgery as compared to administration after surgery.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.271-277
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• 2014

Background: Postoperative delirium is relatively common. However, the relationship between intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) and delirium has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of IV-PCA on the prognosis of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery. Methods: Medical records of 129 patients with postoperative delirium were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they used IV-PCA with fentanyl and ketorolac. The IV-PCA group consisted of 73 patients who were managed with IV-PCA; the NO-PCA group consisted of 56 patients who were managed without PCA. Results: Incidences of multiple psychiatric consultations and prolonged delirium were significantly lower in patients using IV-PCA with fentanyl and ketorolac than in those without PCA. Conclusions: We recommend the use of IV-PCA for pain control and management of delirium in patients with postoperative delirium.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.134-141
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• 2017

Background: Postoperative pain is a common, distressing symptom following arthroscopic knee surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the potential analgesic effect of dexmedetomidine after intrathecal versus intra-articular administration following arthroscopic knee surgery. Methods: Ninety patients undergoing unilateral elective arthroscopic knee surgery were randomly assigned into three groups in a double-blind placebo controlled study. The intrathecal dexmedetomidine group (IT) received an intrathecal block with intrathecal dexmedetomidine, the intra-articular group (IA) received an intrathecal block and intra-articular dexmedetomidine, and the control group received an intrathecal block and intra-articular saline. The primary outcome of our study was postoperative pain as assessed by the visual analogue scale of pain (VAS). Secondary outcomes included the effect of dexmedetomidine on total postoperative analgesic use and time to the first analgesic request, hemodynamics, sedation, postoperative nausea and vomiting, patient satisfaction, and postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Results: Dexmedetomidine administration decreased pain scores for 4 h in both the intrathecal and intra-articular groups, compared to only 2 h in the control patient group. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in pain scores for 6 h in the intra-articular group. The time to the first postoperative analgesia request was longer in the intra-articular group compared to the intrathecal and control groups. The total meperidine requirement was significantly lower in the intra-articular and intrathecal groups than in the control group. Conclusions: Both intrathecal and intra-articular dexmedetomidine enhanced postoperative analgesia after arthroscopic knee surgery. Less total meperidine was required with intra-articular administration to extend postoperative analgesia to 6 h with hemodynamic stability.