Background: In an attempt to reduce central sensitization after tissue injury, the concept of "pre-emptive analgesia" was evolved. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the analgesic effect of pre-incisional transdermal ketoprofen on post-hysterectomy pain.
Methods: Sixty patients scheduled for elective trans-abdominal total hysterectomy were divided into three groups. The day before surgery, patients in Group 1 received transdermal ketoprofen 30 mg over the proposed surgical area twice; patients in Group 2 received a placebo patch under a similar design; patients in Group 3 received transdermal ketoprofen 30 mg over right thigh twice. Operations were performed under general anesthesia. Postoperatively, patients received patient-controlled analgesia with morphine for pain relief, and pain was assessed by visual analogue pain scale (VAS). Hemodynamic parameters, respiratory rate, sedation scale, morphine consumption and associated side effects were also recorded.
Results: There was no significant difference among groups with respect to VAS, sedation scale, blood pressure, respiratory rate or morphine consumption within 24 hours postoperatively. The mean time for first morphine demand was significantly delayed in Group 1 patients (p < 0.05). The incidence of nausea and vomiting among the three groups showed no significant difference.
Conclusions: It seems that pre-incisional transdermal ketoprofen (30 mg, twice the day before surgery) has only a limited pre-emptive effect on post-hysterectomy pain as indicated by delayed first morphine request. Further, it had no effect on postoperative VAS, morphine consumption or incidence of nausea and vomiting.