RESUMO
Providing adequate postoperative analgesia to children undergoing adenotonsillectoiny is often a challenge. Failure to control pain after this commonely performed procedure leads to decrease oral in-take, dehydration and greater risk of heamorrage from healing surgical wounds. Our aim was to compare the effectiveness of acetaminophen versus diclofenac sodium as common analgesics after pediatric tonsillectomy and adenoidectoniy [T and A].Eighty eight children ages 4 to l2years scheduled for T and A in a prospective. randomized and double-blind study. The Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale was used to help children quantify their level of pain after surgery. The level of pain, quantity of pain medication required, presence Of side effects and the percentage of a normal diet consumed was recorded For 10 postoperative days. The results showed no difference [p] 0.05, all time Points in the level of postoperative pain reported by the parents and children in the two groups. The diclofenac sodium group tended to have increased problems with nausea, vomiting, and constipation, but these differences did not reach statistical significance. Children in the acetaminophen group consumed a significantly higher percentage of a normal diet on the first 10 postoperative days [p < 0.5, all time points]. We concluded that there was no difference in the level of pain control Provided by the Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale. Postoperative oral Intake was significantly higher in children treated with acetaminophen