The efficacy of oral celecoxib for acute postoperative pain in face-lift surgery

Exploring methods of potentially improving patient comfort and pain control in cosmetic facial surgery.

To examine the effects of celecoxib in reducing pain and possible opioid consumption following face-lift surgery.

We reviewed the medical records of 100 patients: 50 consecutive patients who underwent a face-lift without receiving perioperative celecoxib and 50 patients who underwent face-lift and received immediate preoperative and standing postoperative celecoxib.

In addition to demographic information, the following outcome measures were recorded for each group: visual analog scale patient-reported pain, acetaminophen and/or opioid consumption rates, and related analgesic adverse effects.

The participants in the noncelecoxib vs celecoxib groups had similar demographic characteristics: mean age, 59.6 vs 57.9 years; mean BMI, 23.3 vs 22.3; history of chronic pain or opioid use, 7 (14%) vs 6 (12%); and 94% of both groups were women. Postoperative pain scores were higher in the noncelecoxib vs celecoxib groups; mean (SD) overall pain score was 3.88 (2.20) vs 2.31 (2.36) (P < .001). The noncelecoxib group had a higher number of postoperative opioid doses than did the celecoxib group: 9.40 (4.30) vs 5.18 (4.58) (P < .05). The noncelecoxib group had a higher incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting: 12 (24%) vs 0 in the celecoxib group.

Preemptive treatment with oral celecoxib appears to be effective in decreasing acute postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing face-lift. Given the well-documented adverse effects of opioids, celecoxib is a desirable alternative.

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