Purpose: To evaluate the effect of either flurbiprofen axetil or nalbuphine combined with retrobulbar block (RB) before surgery on postoperative pain control and enhanced recovery in day-care patients undergoing orbital implantation.
Methods: A total of 45 patients undergoing orbital implantation with general anesthesia were randomly divided into three groups: flurbiprofen axetil (1 mg/kg) combined with RB (group F), nalbuphine (0.1 mg/kg) combined with RB (group N), and placebo as normal saline with RB (group C). The primary outcome was the average pain score (numeric rating scale: 0-10) within the first 24 hours. Other outcomes including the peak pain score, paracetamol requirement, quality of recovery (QoR)-15, and adverse effects (AEs) were assessed.
Results: The average and peak pain scores within 24 hours after surgery in group F were significantly lower than in other groups ( p < 0.0167). Compared with group C, the NRS scores were significantly decreased at 2 and 4 hours in group F, and 2 hours in group N after surgery ( p < 0.0167), but without significant differences at other measured time points. The time to first paracetamol oral intake displayed a significant difference among the three groups ( p < 0.0167).
Conclusion: Preemptive use of flurbiprofen axetil 1 mg/kg combined with RB is an optimal choice for multimodal analgesia for day-care patients undergoing orbital implantation in terms of efficient acute pain control, without impeding patient-enhanced recovery.
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