Effects of peroperative intravenous paracetamol and lornoxicam for lumbar disc surgery on postoperative pain and opioid consumption: A randomized, prospective, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present randomized, placebo-controlled study was to compare postoperative analgesic effects of peroperative paracetamol and lornoxicam administration. METHODS Sixty adult patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) risk classification I-II, who would undergo single-level lumbar discectomy under general anesthesia, were enrolled. Patients were administered either 1000 mg paracetamol (Group P), 8 mg lornoxicam (Group L), or saline (Group C) prior to induction of anesthesia (n=20 for all groups). All patients were administered the same anesthesia induction and maintainance. Postoperative analgesia was maintained with the same analgesic drug in each group. Rescue analgesia was supplied with intravenous meperidine delivered by a patient-controlled analgesia device. Numeric rating score (NRS) results, first analgesic demand time, and cumulative meperidine consumption were recorded postoperatively. Primary outcome was NRS at first postoperative hour. Secondary outcome was measure of opioid consumption during first 24 postoperative hours. RESULTS At first postoperative hour, NRS of Group L [4 (0-8)] was lower than NRSs of Groups P and C [6(0-7); 6(0-9), respectively; p<0.016]. Time to first analgesic demand of Group L was longer, compared with those of the other groups (p<0.016). Cumulative postoperative meperidine consumption in Group L was less than those of Groups P and C at 2-, 12-, and 24-hour time intervals (p<0.016), while Groups P and C had similar findings for the same time intervals. CONCLUSION Preoperative lornoxicam administration decreased early postoperative pain scores more effectively than paracetamol.