A comparison of rectal diclofenac with intramuscular papaveretum or placebo for pain relief following tonsillectomy.

A controlled investigation was conducted to compare the effectiveness of diclofenac and papaveretum in the prevention of pain and restlessness after tonsillectomy in children. Sixty children between 3 and 13 years of age were randomly allocated to receive rectal diclofenac 2 mg/kg, intramuscular papaveretum 0.2 mg/kg or no medication immediately after induction of anaesthesia. Pain and appearance were assessed 1, 3 and 6 hours postoperatively, and the following morning. The assessments were double-blind and performed by the same observer. No significant differences in postoperative pain were found between the groups at any time. The use of diclofenac was associated with a significantly more rapid return to calm wakefulness and had significantly less effect upon respiratory rate. Consumption of paracetamol on the day of operation was significantly less in the diclofenac group. Diclofenac may offer advantages compared to papaveretum with regard to safety and convenience for use in the treatment of pain after tonsillectomy in children.