Acetaminophen versus acetaminophen with codeine after pediatric tonsillectomy

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of acetaminophen versus acetaminoph en with codeine after pediatric tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, Study Desi gn Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Methods: Fifty-one children ages 3 to 12 years scheduled for outpatient tonsillectomy and adenoidectom y were studied. Patients were randomly assigned to receive acetaminophen or acetaminophen with codeine in unlabeled bottles for postoperative pain con trol. The Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale was used to help children quan tify their level of pain after surgery. The level of pain, quantity of pain medication required, presence of side effects, and the percentage of a nor mal diet consumed was recorded for 10 postoperative days. Results: There wa s no difference (P > .05, all time points) in the level of postoperative pa in reported by the parents and children in the two groups. The acetaminophe n with codeine group tended to have increased problems with nausea, emesis, and constipation, but these differences did not reach statistical signific ance. Children in the acetaminophen group consumed a significantly higher p ercentage of a normal diet on the first 6 postoperative days (P < .05, all time points), Conclusion: There was no difference in the level of pain cont rol provided by acetaminophen and acetaminophen with codeine as measured by the Wong-Eaker FACES pain rating scale, Postoperative oral intake was sign ificantly higher in children treated with acetaminophen alone.