Postoperative pain management with ketorolac in facial plastic surgery patients.

Cory Torgerson, Adi Yoskovitch, A F David Cole, Krzysztof Conrad

Journal: Journal of otolaryngology - head & neck surgery = Le Journal d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-faciale 2009;37(6):888-93

PMID: 19128722

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the benefit of intraoperative locally or intramuscularly injected ketorolac in combination with local anesthetic versus local anesthetic alone on postoperative pain in patients undergoing facial plastic surgery.

METHODS

Prospective randomized trial of 140 consecutive patients undergoing facelift, and/or forehead lift at a private facial cosmetic surgery practice by one surgeon. Outcome measurement included the requirement for pain medication (none, morphine, acetaminophen with codeine, or plain acetaminophen) at 1, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively.

RESULTS

Ninety-five patients receiving locally injected ketorolac required significantly less postoperative analgesic (p<.05) than both the 20 patients who received intramuscularly injected ketorolac and the 25 patients who received local anesthetic alone at 12 and 24 hours. Those patients receiving no ketorolac required significantly more (p<.05) analgesic 1 hour postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Intraoperative locally injected ketorolac is an effective and safe means of reducing postoperative analgesic requirements.

Address: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, and Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario.

MeSH Terms: Adult, Aged, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal, Female, Humans, Injections, Intramuscular, Ketorolac, Male, Middle Aged, Pain Measurement, Pain, Postoperative, Prospective Studies, Rhytidoplasty, Treatment Outcome