Effect of ondansetron pretreatment on pain after rocuronium and propofol injection: a randomised, double-blind controlled comparison with lidocaine

In a randomised, controlled, double-blinded trial to study the effect of on dansetron pretreatment on the pain produced after intravenous injection of rocuronium and propofol in comparison with lidocaine, 60 patients were rand omly assigned to one of three groups. Group 1 received 5 ml of intravenous 0.9% sodium chloride solution pretreatment, group 2 received ondansetron 4 mg (2 mg.ml(-1) solution) diluted into a 5-ml solution, and group 3 receive d 50 mg lidocaine (5 ml 1% solution); this was followed 1 min later by rocu ronium. and propofol. Pain was reduced significantly in the ondansetron and lidocaine groups (p < 0.0001) compared with placebo, and significantly bet ter with lidocaine than with ondansetron (p = 0.02). We conclude that ondan setron is effective in relieving the pain of rocuronium but is not as effec tive as lidocaine.