The effect of lidocaine and tramadol in nasal packs on pain after septoplasty.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to compare the analgesic effects of tramadol-absorbed merocel nasal packings and lidocaine-absorbed merocel nasal packings using visual analog scale (VAS) in the postoperative period in patients undergoing septoplasty operation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our study was applied as a retrospective. Informations about the patients were accessed via their medical records. Our study was performed on 122 patients aged between 18 and 50 years. Patients were divided into three groups according to the application of lidocaine, tramadol and 0.9% NaCl on merocel nasal packings. In the postoperative period, VAS (visual analog scale) scores, side effects, additional analgesic requirements were recorded for 24 h starting from PACU (post anesthetic care unit).

RESULTS

There was no difference between the number of male and female patients (p > 0.05). Postoperative pain was evaluated with VAS score periodically in postoperative 5 min-24 h in all groups. When we compared the groups with each other, there was a statistically significant difference between the tramadol-lidocaine and tramadol-control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Tramadol infiltrated to nasal packings decrease the need of additional analgesics in the postoperative period, increases patients' satisfaction, decreases the length of hospital stay, and as a result, reduced the rate of secondary infections.