[Rectal diclofenac coupled with continuous epidural infusion with buprenorphine and bupivacaine for pain relief after upper and lower abdominal surgery].

This investigation was conducted to determine the analgesic efficacy of rectal diclofenac coupled with continuous epidural infusion with buprenorphine and bupivacaine for pain relief after upper and lower abdominal surgery. Forty patients in control group received epidural buprenorphine 0.1 mg in 8 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine immediately after surgery and subsequently infusion was started with the solution of epidural buprenorphine 15 micrograms in 1 ml of 0.23% bupivacaine at a rate of 1 ml.h-1 for 48 h. Forty patients in study group received rectal diclofenac 50 mg immediately after surgery in addition to the same epidural injection method described above. Adding rectal diclofenac to continuous epidural infusion of buprenorphine and bupivacaine produced enhanced analgesia and reduced pain scores measured by VAS after upper abdominal surgery. However, after lower abdominal surgery, such effects of rectal diclofenac obtained after upper abdominal surgery were not demonstrable.