INTRAVENOUS KETOROLAC VS DICLOFENAC FOR ANALGESIA AFTER MAXILLOFACIALSURGERY

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID), ketorolac and diclofenac in pre vention of pain after maxillofacial surgery. Methods: Sixty ASA I-II patients (30 in each gr oup) received randomly, and double blindly either ketorolac 0.4 mg . k g(-1) or diclofenac 1.0 mg . kg(-1) iv after general anaesthesia induc tion, before surgical incision. In the ketorolac group, the same dose was repeated iv three times at six hour intervals. The diclofenac grou p patients received diclofenac 1.0 mg . kg(-1) after 12 hr iv. Rescue analgesic medication consisting of oxy-codone 0.03 mg . kg(-1) iv, was administered by a patient controlled analgesia apparatus. Results: Tw o patients in the ketorolac and three patients in the diclofenac group did not need oxycodone during the study period. On average, 12 and 11 doses of oxycodone were needed in the ketorolac and the diclofenac gr oups, respectively (NS). Side-effects were similar in both groups. All patients except one were satisfied with the pain therapy. Conclusion: Parenteral ketorolac (0.4 mg . kg(-1) four times in 24 hr) and diclof enac (1 mg . kg(-1) twice in 24 hr) were similar, but insufficient alo ne, for analgesia after maxillofacial surgery.