Article
Do we need an opioid for the pain control after carpal tunnel release? A randomized controlled study
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Published: | February 6, 2020 |
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Outline
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Objectives/Interrogation: Few studies have examined the appropriate pain control after carpal tunnel release (CTR). The goal of this study was to compare the effectiveness of paracetamol for the pain control with that of codeine analyzing patients' subjective perception.
Methods: A prospective comparison of consecutive patients' subjective perception for pain after outpatient CTR was conducted. Patients were randomized to receive either a codeine or a paracetamol for pain control after CTR. All operations were performed with the same mini-open CTR surgical technique. Visual analogue scale for pain of both groups was compared from the day of surgery to the 3rd day following the surgery.
Results and Conclusions: Mean VAS score at the day of surgery was 4.9 (range 2~8) and the score was decreased 3.8 (range 2~6) at the first day following the surgery, 2.4 (range 0~5) at the second day following the surgery, and 1.8 (range 0~5) at the 3rd day following the surgery in the codeine group. In the paracetamol group, the mean VAS score was 4.2 (range 0~8), 3.3 (range 0~6), 2.5 (range 0~5), and 2.2 (range 0~5) at the equivalent day of the codeine group. Mean VAS scores were not different significantly from the day of surgery to the 3rd day following the CTR (p=0.31 at POD 0, p=0.43 at POD 1, p=0.94 at POD 2, p=0.61 at POD 3).
Paracetamol was effective to relieve the pain after outpatient CTR comparing with the codeine. Our results suggest the clinicians might avoid unnecessary prescription of the opioid after outpatient CTR.