Analgesic Efficacy of Oxycodone in Postoperative Dressings after Surgical Treatment of Burn Wounds: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Grzegorz Kowalski; Wojciech Leppert; Małgorzata Domagalska; Monika Grochowicka; Artur Teżyk; Krzysztof Słowiński; Agnieszka Bienert; Danuta Szkutnik-Fiedler; Katarzyna Wieczorowska-Tobis

doi:10.3390/jcm13030784

Analgesic Efficacy of Oxycodone in Postoperative Dressings after Surgical Treatment of Burn Wounds: A Randomised Controlled Trial

J Clin Med. 2024 Jan 29;13(3):784. doi: 10.3390/jcm13030784.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Palliative Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Pozan, Poland.
² Department of Anesthesiology, Józef Struś Multiprofile Municipal Hospital, 61-701 Poznań, Poland.
³ Department of Palliative Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences Collegium Medicum, University of Zielona Góra, 65-046 Zielona Góra, Poland.
⁴ University Clinical Hospital in Poznań, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland.
⁵ Department of Forensic Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland.
⁶ Department of Trauma, Burns and Plastic Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland.
⁷ Chair and Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the analgesic efficacy of oxycodone at doses of 10 mg and 20 mg in dressings after surgery of burn wounds.

Material and methods: Twenty adult patients who underwent surgical treatment of third-degree burn wounds under general anaesthesia were included. Burn wounds were treated with dressings, to which oxycodone was added at 20 mg in Group 1 and 10 mg in Group 2. After the surgery, plasma oxycodone and noroxycodone concentrations were assayed, and pain intensity was assessed with Numerical Rating Scale (NRS).

Results: In Group 1, no patient reported pain; in Group 2, four patients reported pain. The pain intensity, according to NRS, was 1-8. Plasma concentration of oxycodone in the blood serum was in the range of 1.24-3.15 ng/mL and 1.09-1.28 ng/mL in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. Noroxycodone was not detected in the plasma. Adverse effects were not observed in any of the treated patients.

Conclusions: Oxycodone in dressings provides patients with adequate and safe analgesia.

Keywords: burns; fentanyl; morphine; opioids; oxycodone; pain; wounds.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.