The safety and efficacy of intrabursal oxycodone and bupivacaine in analgesia after shoulder surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Peripherally administered opioids, e.g., intra-articular morphine, exert their analgesic action on local opioid receptors. The present study investigated the safety and efficacy of intrabursal oxycodone and bupivacaine in comparison with bupivacaine infiltration and interscalene brachial plexus block in conjunction with shoulder surgery.

METHODS

A prospective, randomized study was conducted in 45 patients (15 per group) undergoing elective shoulder surgery during general anesthesia. At the end of the surgery, patients received either 10 mL 0.5% bupivacaine (group B) or 5 mg oxycodone and 10 mL 0.5% bupivacaine (group OB) in the subacromial bursa; interscalene plexus blocks were performed preoperative (group IPB). Postoperative analgesia was provided by patient-controlled analgesia, and the amount of intravenous fentanyl used during the total perioperative period was recorded. Postoperative pain was assessed by a visual analog scale.

RESULTS

The total fentanyl consumption was lower in groups OB and IPB than in group B, and the difference reached statistical significance for both groups (P = .045 and P = .006, respectively). However, the groups OB and IPB did not differ in respect to their fentanyl requirements (P = 1.000). Visual analog scores for pain were lowest in group IBP during the first 6 postoperative hours. The incidence of adverse effects was similar in all groups; serious adverse effects did not occur.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the present study, intrabursal oxycodone and bupivacaine offer an acceptable and efficient method for postoperative analgesia after shoulder surgery.