Diclofenac and ketoprofen for pain treatment after elective casesarean section

Abstract

We have studied the effect of a constant infusion of diciofenac 150mg/24h, ketoprofen 200mg/24h or placebo on postoperative pain after elective Caesarean section performed under spinal or extra -dura/block in 90patients in a prospective, randomized and double-blind study. During the first 24 h after operation, patients in the treatment groups were more comfortable than the placebo group (P < 0.005); the diciofenac group needed a mean of oxycodone 21.6 mg/24 h and the ketoprofen group 21.2 mg/24 h, compared with 38.3 mg/24 h in the placebo group (P < 0.001); the mean time to the first injection of oxycodone was 270.5 min in the diciofenac group, 270.2 min in the ketoprofen group and 161.2 min in the placebo group (P < 0.001). During the first 24 h after operation, the temperature increased in the control group by 0.7 °C compared with 0.1 °C in the diciofenac group and 0.3 °C in the ketoprofen group. One patient in the diciofenac group was eliminated from the study because of uterine relaxation during the frst 30 min after start of the drug infusion; this improved after cessation of diciofenac and infusion of sulprostone. There were no other serious side effects. (Br. J. Anaesth. 1993; 70: 293-297). ©1993 British Journal of Anaesthesia.