[Postoperative pain therapy after tonsillectomy in children. An observational study for 7 days]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Anesthesiology
• Pain Management
• Surgical Recovery

Background:

• Tonsillectomy is a common pediatric surgical procedure often associated with significant postoperative pain.
• Effective pain management is crucial for improving patient recovery and reducing complications after tonsillectomy.
• Current pain management strategies require optimization to balance efficacy and minimize adverse events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a specific pain therapy protocol for managing postoperative pain in children undergoing tonsillectomy.
• To assess the incidence of side effects, including vomiting and postoperative hemorrhage, associated with the implemented pain management protocol.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 100 children (aged 6-14 years) undergoing tonsillectomy.
• A multimodal pain management regimen including rectal acetaminophen, intravenous piritramide, and subsequent oral diclofenac.
• Pain severity was assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and side effects were systematically documented.

Main Results:

• The median VAS score significantly decreased from 42 on the day of surgery to 10 by the 6th postoperative day (p <0.05).
• Rescue therapy was required in a small percentage of patients (6 on day of surgery, 9 on first postoperative day).
• The incidence of vomiting was low (2%), and postoperative hemorrhage occurred in 7% of patients, with 4% requiring surgical revision.

Conclusions:

• The investigated pain therapy protocol is effective in managing postoperative pain following pediatric tonsillectomy.
• The protocol demonstrates a favorable safety profile with a low incidence of significant side effects such as vomiting and hemorrhage.