RESUMO
206 patients scheduled for spinal surgery (lumbar discopathy) were randomly premedicated with diclofenac, pethidine, diazepam or hydroxizine. The frequency of persisted postoperative pain was evaluated from the 3-ed. postoperative day to the end of hospitalisation--as the need for additional concomitant treatment with dexamethasone and intravenous analgesics. The frequency of persisted pain was significantly decreased in patients premedicated with diclofenac (together with diazepam) before spinal surgery (limited to fenestration) in comparison to patients premedicated with pethidine. The pre-emptive analgesic effect of diclofenac was even more evident in patients treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) before surgery, but was not observed in patients after more traumatic surgery (laminectomy) premedicated with diazepam. The results are supporting the important role of NSAID given before surgery to decrease the frequency of persisted pain after spinal surgery (limited to fenestration), in patients treated with NSAID.