Abstract

Aim: To investigate the preemptive effect of etofenomate on postoperative pain and emesis in the first 24 hours after elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Method: Patients were randomly assigned to two groups each consisting of 60 patients. Group A was received 1g (2 ml) etofenomate intramuscularly, group B was received 0.9% saline intramuscularly one hour before surgery. All patients were administered meperidine HCl in the patient –controlled analgesia (PCA) intravenous mode in order to treat postoperative pain. Pain intensity was assessed on visual analog scales (VAS) at four times; 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours. The total meperidine HCl consumptions, VAS scores and antiemetic requirements were recorded and comparisons among the two groups were evaluated. Result: The mean total meperidine HCl consumptions within first 6 and 24 hours of the group A were significantly less than the group B. The VAS scores at 1 and 6 hours in the group A were significantly lower than that in the group B. There was no significant difference in the postoperative antiemetic requirement among two groups. Conclusion: Preemptive use of etofenamate reduces pain intensity and meperidine HCl requirement, but it doesn’t affect the antiemetic requirement in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.