COMPARISON OF TENOXICAM BY INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTION OR WOUND INFILTRATION FOR ANALGESIA AFTER INGUINAL HERNIORRHAPHY

We compared wound infiltration with small-dose tenoxicam (7.5 mg) to i ntramuscular (IM) administration of the same dose to treat pain after herniorrhaphy. In a randomized, double-blind study, 50 patients receiv ed either preoperative wound infiltration with tenoxicam, 7.5 mg in 40 mL of 0.9% saline (WI group; n = 25) or IM tenoxicam 7.5 mg (IM group ; n = 25). In each group a saline placebo of equal volume was given by the alternate route, i.e., those who received wound infiltration with tenoxicam received 0.75 mL of 0.9% saline IM; those who received IM t enoxicam received 40 mL of 0.9% saline for wound infiltration. Postope rative pain was assessed with a verbal pain scale and a visual analog scale (VAS) at rest and during movement and cough, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 h postoperatively. Wound tenderness was assessed with an electronic al gometer preoperatively, and 2, 4, and 6 h postoperatively. The need fo r supplementary analgesics (acetaminophen and morphine) was registered . No differences were observed between groups in VAS pain scores, verb al rating pain scores, pain pressure thresholds, or in need for supple mentary analgesics. We conclude that tenoxicam 7.5 mg has no local ana lgesic effect on postoperative pain after herniorrhaphy.