EFFECT OF PREOPERATIVE SINGLE DOSES OF DICLOFENAC AND METHYLPREDNISOLONE ON WOUND-HEALING

Anti-inflammatory drugs should impair wound healing, which may explain why they have been used to only a limited extent to relieve pain. If they are to have maximal effect they must be started before the operat ion. In the present study, single doses of the non-steroidal anti-infl ammatory agent diclofenac or of diclofenac and the corticosteroid meth ylprednisolone were given before operation, and the effects on wound h ealing after operative extraction of third molars were recorded. Patie nts developed 18 postoperative complications (5%), the most common of which was alveolar osteitis (n = 14), followed by bleeding (n = 3) and infection (n = 1). Pretreatment with diclofenac alone or in combinati on with methylprednisolone did not result in a notable increase in the incidence of complications as compared to placebo.