Preoperative rectal indomethacin for analgesia after laparoscopic sterilisation

Abstract

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted among 56 day-case patients to determine the effect of the preoperative administration of rectal indomethacin on postoperative pain and opioid requirements after laparoscopic sterilisation. Outcome in women receiving indomethacin did not differ significantly from the placebo group, but there was a trend to lower subjective pain scores, reduction in early postoperative pain assessed objectively and lower parenteral pethidine requirements in the first three hours postoperatively. Indomethacin did not appear either to cause side-effects or to significantly reduce morbidity from the other postoperative sequelae of laparoscopy. Despite evidence for postoperative analgesic effect, the clinical benefits of premedication with rectal indomethacin were minor.

PIP: A total of 56 women 18-45 years of age weighing 40-100 kg schedules for elective laparoscopic sterilization with or without uterine curettage were randomized into 2 groups, and 25 were subsequently analyzed in each data set. They received either 2 suppositories of 100 mg indomethacin each (Indocid) (Group 1), or 2 identical placebo suppositories (Group 2). At the same time, all patients received a premedication of temazepam 10 mg orally 2 hours preoperatively. General anaesthesia consisted of droperidol 1.25 mg IV, fentanyl 1.5 mcg/kg IV. Filshie clips were used exclusively. Analgesia consisted of 25 mg aliquots of pethidine iv in the recovery room and on the ward by using 1.0 mg.kg of in pethidine, 2-hourly if requested. There was no difference between groups with respect to patient characteristics. In the recovery room, the rating of no pain was lower with 28% in the indomethacin group (group 1) versus 18% in group 2, but the difference was not significant (p = .29). At 30 minutes postoperatively, 54% of those receiving indomethacin compared to 47% of the placebo groups had a pain score less than 30 (p = .09); and 96% compared to 72% had a score less than 70 (p = .07), but these differences were not significant. 48% in group 1 and 32% in group 2 did not require any postoperative pethidine (p = .39). The mean dosage of pethidine used was 24 mg +or- 27 mg in the indomethacin group and 42 mg +or- 44 mg in the placebo group. The Wilcoxon Rank Sum test also showed a nonsignificant trend for lower pethidine dose requirements in the indomethacin group, and in the Log Rank test this difference almost reached statistical significance. The incidence of preoperative (postmedication) nausea, headache and abdominal pain did not differ between the groups. There was a consistently lower incidence of postoperative symptoms or side-effects in the indomethacin group, but this was not statistically significant.