Effect of intravenous ketoprofen on pain after outpatient laparoscopic sterilisation

The effect of intravenous ketoprofen in reducing pain after laparoscopic sterilisation was studied in a placebo controlled, randomised setting in 100 patients undergoing outpatient laparoscopic sterilisation. The study group receive 100 mg ketoprofen i.v. 2 min prior to induction of anaesthesia and an additional 100 mg was infused in 60 min. The control group received saline. Postoperative pain was assessed by verbal ratings and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (0-100 mm) and pain medication was standardised. Achievement of toleration of oral fluids, walking and voiding were assessed as parameters of home readiness. Pain during the first three postoperative days was assessed by a postal follow-up questionnaire. After awakening the patients in the ketoprofen group had significantly (P < 0.05) less pain [median VAS 25 (range 8-80) mm compared to the control group 41 (0-87) mm]/ A 30% reduction of fentanyl requirement was seen in the study group [median 0.1 (range 0-0.3) mg] compared to the control group [0.15 (0.05-0.35) mg] in the postanaesthesia care unit (P < 0.05). Furthermore, significantly (P < 0.05) less paracetamol was needed in the study group in the Phase II recovery room. The results suggest that patients given ketoprofen have less pain upon awakening and need fewer analgesics for postoperative pain after laparoscopic sterilisation when compared to patients given saline. However, overall pain after awakening or time to home readiness did not differ between the groups.