The analgesic efficacy of tenoxicam versus placebo in day case laparoscopy: a randomised parallel double-blind trial

The analgesic efficacy and duration of action of tenoxicam, an injectable non-steroidal analgesic with a long elimination half-life, were studied in day case laparoscopy in a double-blind randomised prospective parallel placebo-controlled trial. Tenoxicam 20 mg or saline was given intravenously at induction of anaesthesia in 67 women undergoing day case investigative laparoscopy for infertility or abdominal pain. Outcome measures were time to first analgesia, pain levels at 2, 4 and 24 h plus postoperative analgesic consumption in hospital and at home. The study showed no statistically significant difference in any of these measures between the two groups. Tenoxicam 20 mg intravenously immediately pre-operatively cannot be recommended for day case surgery on the basis of this study.