Comparative study of local infiltration of bupivacaine and parenteral administration of diclofenac sodium for post tonsillectomy pain in adults

ABSTRACT

To compare the efficacy of pre-operative local infiltration of local anesthetic [bupivacaine] with the conventional parenteral administration of an NSAID, diclofenac sodium on postoperative pain in adults undergoing tonsillectomy using a st and ardized anesthetic technique. 120 patients of either sex, age 20 to 40 years posted for tonsillectomy were enrolled and randomly assigned into 2 groups Group A Received diclofenac sodium 1.5 mg/kg intramuscular, 30 min. before surgery [60 patients]. Group B Received bilateral pre-incisional infiltration of 3 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine in the peritonsillar fossa [60 patients]. Pain intensity after surgery was assessed by asking patients to express there pain on visual analogue scale 0- 100 mm scale [0 mm no pain; 100 mm maximum imaginable pain] and estimated at 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference between group A and B at all time intervals [p < 0.01]. Preincisional infiltration of local anesthetic [bupivacaine] and pre-operative parenteral administration of an N SAID, diclofenac sodium were found to be equally effective methods for treating post tonsillectomy pain