The preoperative administration of intravenous dextromethorphan reduces postoperative morphine consumption

We evaluated the effect of dextromethorphan on postoperative pain management. Sixty ASA physical status I-III female patients undergoing major abdominal surgery underwent standardized general anesthesia. Thirty patients received an i.v. infusion of dextromethorphan 5 mg/kg before anesthetic induction (Pre group), whereas the remaining 30 patients received the same volume of isotonic sodium chloride solution, followed by a postoperative i.v. infusion of dextromethorphan 5 mg/kg (Post group). Patients in the Pre group received the same volume of isotonic sodium chloride solution postoperatively. All patients were then treated with patient-controlled i.v. analgesia, which administered a 0.6-mg bolus of morphine on demand (maximal 4 h dose 20 mg). The mean visual analog pain score during cough or movement and at rest were similar in the two groups in the first 3 days postoperatively. However, Post group patients consumed more morphine than Pre group patients during the first 2 days (P < 0.01). The sedation scores, patient satisfaction, and the incidence of morphine-related side effects were similar between the two groups. We conclude that the preoperative administration of dextromethorphan 5 mg/kg reduces postoperative morphine consumption compared with postoperative administration.

In this double-blinded study, we found that the preoperative administration of i.v. dextromethorphan 5 mg/kg, compared with postoperative administration, reduces postoperative morphine consumption, which may provide clinical evidence of preemptive or preventive analgesic effects of dextromethorphan.