Diclofenac sodium and low dose epidural morphine for postcesarean analgesia

A randomized double-blind study of parturients after Cesarean section was undertaken to assess the efficacy of the combination of single dose intramuscular diclofenac sodium and low dose epidural morphine (EM) for postoperative analgesia. 50 parturients under epidural anesthesia were divided into 2 treatment groups: group A received 2 mg EM 30 min after the last dose of lidocaine and 3 ml normal saline i.m. at recovery room; group B received the same EM and 75 mg diclofenac i.m. postoperatively. Pain scores were compared at the 2nd, 4th, 8th, 12th, 18th, and 24th h. Results showed that group B was superior to group A in analgesic quality from the 8th h and thereafter (P less than 0.05) and 100% patients in group B were in the excellent to good analgesia categories at the 8th and 12th h record compared to 92% and 72% patients in group A respectively. Side effects were similar in both groups. The combination of NSAIDs with low dose EM could improve the analgesic quality after Cesarean section.