Abstract: Combined pre-incisional oral dextromethorphan and epidural lidocaine for postoperative pain reduction and morphine sparing: a randomised double-blind study on day-surgery patients.

Authors:

Weinbroum AA, Lalayev G, Yashar T, Ben-Abraham R, Niv D, Flaishon R.

Institution:

Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit, and Pain Clinic, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre, 6 Weizman Street, Tel Aviv 64239, Israel.

Source:

Anaesthesia. 2001 Jul;56(7):616-22.

Abstract:

The reduction in acute pain perception following dextromethorphan has previously been investigated in patients undergoing general anaesthesia. This random and double-blind study examined the effects of pre-incisional oral dextromethorphan on postoperative pain and intravenous patient-controlled morphine demand in 60 day-surgery patients undergoing lower body surgery under lidocaine (1.6%-16 ml) epidural anaesthesia after receiving placebo, 60 or 90 mg dextromethorphan, 90 min pre-operatively. Postoperative pain was scored on a visual analogue scale from 1 to 10. In-hospital observation continued for 6 h and for 3 days at home; diclofenac was available throughout. Dextromethorphan-treated patients reported significantly (p < 0.05) less pain and sedation, and felt better. Patients who received dextromethorphan 90 mg had significantly (p < 0.05) lower heart and respiratory rates than those who received 60 mg. Medicated patients required half the morphine and diclofenac of placebo patients: 38% of patients who received 90 mg and 21% who received dextromethorphan 60 mg used no morphine or diclofenac whatsoever, a previously unreported finding.

Keywords:

Analgesia Opioids Dextromethorphan