Non steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDS] and pruritus in patients receiving epidural fentanyl

ABSTRACT

In this study, pruritus and pain were evaluated in patients undergoing abdominal surgery during which epidural fentanyl was administered. All patients had an epidural catheter inserted at the time of surgery. Epidural fentanyl 100 pg was administered intraoperatively and infused at a concentration of 2 mug/ml for 24 hours postoperatively. All patients received a standard anesthetic and in addition, the study group had a 20 mg bolus of tenoxicam intravenously intraoperatively. Patients receiving tenoxicam demonstrated significantly lower pruritus and pain scores at 30 min and 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours postoperatively and reduced analgesic requirements for breakthrough pain in the first 24 hours. In conclusion, tenoxicam 20 mg significantly reduces the incidence and severity of postoperative pruritus in patients who received perioperative epidural fentanyl. In addition, it significantly reduced pain and further analgesic requirements postoperatively