Rectal diclofenac analgesia after abdominal hysterectomy

Sixty-two patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy with or without salpingo-oophorectomy were randomly allocated to received either 100 mg rectally of diclofenac (n = 31) or a placebo (n = 31) at the end of the operation and 12-hourly for 72 hours postoperatively. The analgesic effect of the diclofenac was measured by a visual analogue scale pain score and morphine usage. Patients receiving diclofenac showed a morphine requirement of < 50% of the patients receiving placebo (p < 0.0001). There was no statistical evidence of any reduction in the incidence of nausea and vomiting with the use of diclofenac.