The efficacy and safety of transnasal butorphanol for postoperative pain control following lower laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transnasal butorphanol for postoperative analgesia in adult female patients undergoing lower laparoscopic surgery.

METHODS

Fifty-six women undergoing lower laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled in the study. They were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 28 each). Postoperatively, group 1 received transnasal butorphanol 2 mg, whereas group 2 received transnasal placebo. During a 6-h post-treatment period, we collected the following data: scores of visual analogue pain scale, demand and delivery of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine, vital signs, nausea, vomiting, and somnolence.

RESULTS

Transnasal butorphanol clearly proved to have analgesic effect when compared with placebo as revealed by diminishment of visual analogue scale scores at 30 min (P = 0.043), less consumption of PCA morphine at 30-60 min (P = 0.002), and less demand of PCA morphine at 30-60 min (P = 0.001) and 60-180 min (P = 0.031). All patients displayed stable vital signs. The side effects between groups were not significantly different.

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast with placebo transnasal butorphanol was effective in the treatment of postoperative pain in female patients undergoing lower laparoscopic surgery. It had minimum side effects.