An unexpected benefit of pre-emptive rectal analgesic administration: the "key" to postoperative analgesia

ANALGESIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS are frequently administered intraoper atively by the rectal route to provide pre-emptive postoperative analgesia. We report the case of an inmate of a federal penitentiary who underwent or thopedic surgery in a public hospital. After induction of general anesthesi a, indomethacin and acetaminophen were administered rectally. This led to t he incidental discovery of a handcuff key hidden in the rectum and, thereby , the prevention of a planned escape. A review of data regarding escapes by prisoners from public hospitals is provided, as well as a description of c ases of patients presenting with foreign rectal objects. A number of benefi ts have been described for the use of pre-emptive analgesia. This is the fi rst reported description of an incidental benefit: the prevention of a plan ned escape by a prison inmate.