• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.265-274
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• 2015

Background: Postoperative (PO) pain interferes with the recovery and mobilization of the surgical patients. The impact of the educational status has not been studied adequately up to now. Methods: This prospective study involved 400 consecutive general surgery patients. Various factors known to be associated with the perception of pain including the educational status were recorded as was the preoperative and postoperative pain and the analgesia requirements for the $1^{st}$ PO week. Based on the educational status, we classified the patients in 3 groups and we compared these groups for the main outcomes: i.e. PO pain and PO analgesia. Results: There were 145 patients of lower education (junior school), 150 patients of high education (high school) and 101 of higher education (university). Patients of lower education were found to experience more pain than patients of higher education in all postoperative days (from the $2^{nd}$ to the $6^{th}$). No difference was identified in the type and quantity of the analgesia used. The subgroup analysis showed that patients with depression and young patients (< 40 years) had the maximum effect. Conclusions: The educational status may be a significant predictor of postoperative pain due to various reasons, including the poor understanding of the preoperative information, the level of anxiety and depression caused by that and the suboptimal request and use of analgesia. Younger patients (< 40), and patients with subclinical depression are mostly affected while there is no impact on patients over 60 years old.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.159-165
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• 1996

Background: Epidural analgesia has been widely used for postoperative pain relief. However, it is not known which regimen provides the best result due to many variety. The aim of this study is to evaluate the analgesia and side effects of epidural mixute of fentanyl, bupivacaine and clonidine, as one kind of regimen. Methods: One hundred adult patients scheduled for upper abdominal surgery under general anesthesia were evaluated. Epidural catheterization was done after operation. A bolus, 0.1% bupivacaine 10 ml containing fentanlyl 100 ${\mu}g$, was administered and followed up with continuous infusion of mixture of fntanyl 600 ${\mu}g$, 0.5% bupivacaine 20ml and clonidine 150 ${\mu}g$ at a rate of 2ml/hr for 50 hours. Analgesia was assessed using VAS, PHS and PRS. Side effects and number of patients who took additional analgesics were evalutated. Plasma samples were obtained to determine fentanyl concentration. Results: After the administrations of drugs, patients pain scores decreased notably, and pain relief scores increased significantly. Minimum side effects were noted. Twenty-one patients required additional analgesics. Plasma concentration of fentanyl was 0.07~0.14 ng/ml. Conclusion: Epidural infusion of mixture of fentanyl, bupivacaine and clonidine is an effective regimen for postoperative pain relief after upper abdominal surgery.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2020

Background: Duloxetine is an antidepressant that is also useful in chronic neuropathic and central origin pain. In this study, the role of duloxetine in decreasing acute postoperative pain after lumbar canal stenosis surgery is explored. Methods: In this single center, triple blinded, and placebo-controlled trial, 96 patients were randomized for statistical analysis. The intervention group received oral duloxetine 30 mg once a day (OD) for 2 days before surgery, 60 mg OD from the day of surgery to the postoperative second day and 30 mg OD for the next 2 days (a total duration of 7 days). A placebo capsule was given in the other group for a similar time and schedule. The same standard perioperative analgesia protocols were followed in both groups. Results: Total morphine consumption up to 24 hours was significantly decreased in the duloxetine group (P < 0.01). The time to the first analgesia requirement was similar in both groups but the time to the second and third dose of rescue analgesia increased significantly in the duloxetine group. The time to ambulation was decreased significantly (P < 0.01) in the duloxetine group as compared to the placebo group. Pain scores remained similar during most of the time interval. No significant difference was observed in the complication rate and patient satisfaction score recorded. Conclusions: Duloxetine reduces postoperative pain after lumbar canal stenosis surgery with no increase in adverse effects.

• 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.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1017-1022
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• 1996

Patients with fractured ribs necessarily suffer from severe chest ain, which prevents coughing, deep breathing and bronchial toilette, cause atelectasis and pulmonary shunting. Relief of chest pain is benecial to patients, providing consort and facilitating physiotherapy and effective expectoration. We compared the efficacy of pain relief be!ween continuous epidural analgesia and conventional intramlrscular analgesia in 20 patients with fractured ribs. Among 20 patients, epidural analgesia was done or 10 patients(experimental group) and the remainder ten received intramuscular analgesia(control group). The pain and ROM(range of motion) scores, vital sign, PaO2, forced vital capacity(FVC) and forced expiratory volume for 1 second(FEVI) were checked on immediate admission and 12, 24 hours, third, fifth, and seventh day after starting of continuous epidural block. The pain and ROM scores were decreased and the PaO2, FRC and FEVI were significantly increased in experimental group. The side effects of epidural analgesia were mild and reversible. With th se result, we can suggest that epidural analgesia is more effective for pain relief and restoration of pulmonary mechanics in patients with fractured ribs.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2004

Background: Some clinical trials have reported that a new analgesic combination of tramadol and acetaminophen provides good efficacy in various pain models. For the more clinical uses of this agent, comparisons about the onset of analgesia and analgesic efficacy in the acute state of pain with the other drugs known as strong analgesics were needed. Purpose: The goal of this study was to compare the times to onset of analgesia and the other analgesic efficacy of 75 mg tramadol/650 mg acetaminophen and 20 mg codeine/500 mg acetaminophen/400 mg ibuprofen in the treatment of acute pain after oral surgery. Patients and Methods: Using a randomized, single-dose, parallel-group, single-center, and active-controlled test design, this clinical study compared the times to onset of analgesia using a two-stopwatch technique and the other analgesic efficacy of the single-dose tramadol/acetaminophen and codeine/acetaminophen/ibuprofen. These were assessed in 128 healthy subjects with pain from oral surgical procedures involving extraction of one or more impacted third molars requiring bone removal. From the time of pain development, the times to onset of perceptible and meaningful pain relief, pain intensity, pain relief, an overall assessment, and adverse events of the study medications were recorded for 6 hours. Results: The demographic distribution and baseline pain data in the two groups were statistically similar. The median times to onset of perceptible pain relief were 21.0 and 24.4 minutes in the tramadol/acetaminophen and codeine/acetaminophen/ibuprofen groups respectively and those to onset of meaningful pain relief were 56.4 and 57.3 minutes, which were statistically similar. The other efficacy variables such as mean total pain relief (TOTPAR) and the sum of pain intensity differences (SPID) were also similar in the early period after pain development and drug dosing. The safety of tramadol/acetaminophen was well tolerated and very comparable to that of codeine/acetaminophen/ibuprofen. Conclusions: In this acute dental pain model, the onset of analgesia and analgesic efficacy of tramadol/acetaminophen was comparable to that of codeine/acetaminophen/ibuprofen. These results showed that tramadol/acetaminophen was recommendable for fast and effective treatment in the management of postoperative acute pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 1999

Background: Contraction of anal sphincter muscle produces severe pain in perianal surgery postoperatively. Recent reports have indicated that effective and prolonged pain relief can be obtained by the injection of small doses of morphine into the subarachnoid space. We attempted to use this technique for perianal surgery and investigated postoperative pain control and its side effects. Methods: Forty five patients scheduled for hemorrhoidectomy and anal fistulectomy were studied to determine the minimal effective dose of intrathecal morphine for postoperative analgesia. In order to control the pain, 7 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine with 0.05 mg (group I), 0.1 mg (group II) and 0.15 mg (group III) of morphine hydrochloride was injected with a 25 gauge spinal needle into the subarachnoid space. We estimated the duration of analgesia until the pain score attained to above 3 in 10 cm VAS (visual analogue scale) and incidence of itching, nausea and vomiting by percentage, headache, backpain and respiratory depression by positive and negative. We also checked the time of self-voiding. Results: The mean time of analgesia was $10.3{\pm}1.54$, $19.7{\pm}2.22$ and $20.3{\pm}2.29$ hours in group I, II and III respectively. Urinary retention of group I, II and III after block persisted for an average of $20.3{\pm}2.31$, $21.2{\pm}2.51$ and $23.3{\pm}3.74$ hours. Nausea and vomiting were observed 33%, 53%, 67% and itching was observed 53%, 67%, 80% in group I, II and III respectively and respiratory depression did not occur in all groups. Conclusions: It is not necessary to use more than 0.1mg of intrathecal morphine in perianal surgery because analgesia is not prolonged and side effects are increased.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.55-59
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• 1993

Using a visual analogue scale, we compare the effect of patient-controlled analgesia and conventional intramuscular opioid regimen in 68 patients undergoing lower abdominal or gynecological surgery. We also recorded the incidence of side effects. We checked visual analogue scale 4 hours interval for 30 cases managed by patient-controlled analgesia and 38 cases of conventional intramuscular opioid group managed by obstetrician. We maintained fentanyl $0.33{\mu}g/kg/hr$ and set self administrable bolus dose $5.0{\mu}g$(lockout interval: 15 min) in patient-controlled analgesia group. Conventional intramuscular bolus injection group were administered meperidine 50 mg for 4 hour interval. Mean visual analogue scale scores obtained by patient-controlled analgesia group and intramuscular bolus injection group were $2.49{\pm}0.67$ and $4.53{\pm}1.28$(p<0.05). Side effects such as; no significant incidence of respiratory depression, urinary retention, postural hypotension, nausea, vomiting and pruritus were developed by either group. These results suggest that patient-controlled analgesia was more effective method compared with conventional intraumuscular opioid injection regimen for post-operative pain management.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.303-310
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• 2022

Background: Open gastrectomy causes severe postoperative pain. Therefore, we investigated the opioid-sparing effect of the ultrasound-guided bilateral erector spinae plane block (ESPB) after open gastrectomy. Methods: Adult patients undergoing open gastrectomy were randomly assigned to either the ESPB group (ESPB + fentanyl based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia [IV-PCA]) or a control group (fentanyl based IV-PCA only). The primary outcome was total fentanyl equivalent consumption during the first 24 hour postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were pain intensities using a numeric rating scale at the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 hour postoperatively, and the amount of fentanyl equivalent consumption during the PACU stay and at 3, 6, and 12 hour postoperatively, and the time to the first request for rescue analgesia. Results: Fifty-eight patients were included in the analysis. There was no significant difference in total fentanyl equivalent consumption during the first 24 hour postoperatively between the two groups (P = 0.471). Pain intensities were not significantly different between the groups except during the PACU stay and 3 hour postoperatively (P < 0.001, for both). Time to the first rescue analgesia in the ward was longer in the ESPB group than the control group (P = 0.045). Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided ESPB did not decrease total fentanyl equivalent consumption during the first 24 hour after open gastrectomy. It only reduced postoperative pain intensity until 3 hour postoperatively compared with the control group. Ultrasound-guided single-shot ESPB cannot provide an efficient opioid-sparing effect after open gastrectomy.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2018

We conduct this study to compare the difference in duration of labor in nulliparous women received epidural analgesia or non-epidural analgesia for labor pain. This retrospective, observational study based on the review of the medical records from February 2014 to July 2017. Epidural analgesia was initiated with a 10 mL epidural bolus of 1% lidocaine and was maintained with a 0.1% mixture of ropivacaine with fentanyl. Non-epidural analgesia was initiated with pethidine 12.5 mg bolus, followed by additional boluses as needed. The primary outcome was the duration of the labor. 149 healthy nulliparous women at term pregnancies with no evidence of fetal distress were enrolled in this study. 92 women received non-epidural analgesia (Group NE) and 57 women received epidural analgesia (Group E). There were no significant differences between the two groups in maternal demographic characteristics. Using a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, there was no significant difference in the overall duration of the labor(P=0.233). The duration of the first stage of labor was $187.6{\pm}167.3min$ in Group NE, $248.6{\pm}168.7min$ in Group E (Mean${\pm}$SD, P=0.032). The duration of the second stage of labor was $67.1{\pm}57.8min$ in Group NE, $64.1{\pm}47.5min$ in Group E (Mean${\pm}$SD, P=0.693). Epidural analgesia delayed the first stage of labor in this study. But there were no significant differences between the two groups in the duration of the second stage and the total duration of labor.