Evaluation of intravenous tenoxicam for postoperative cesarean delivery pain relief. Preliminary report.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

To assess safety and efficacy of tenoxicam for postoperative pain relief after cesarean delivery.

METHODS

Postoperative pain relief, supplemental analgesic requirements, and adverse side effects were evaluated in 80 patients undergoing cesarean delivery. Forty patients received a slow intravenous injection of tenoxicam at a fixed dose of 20 mg (2 mL), immediately before induction of spinal anesthesia with 15 mg (3 mL) of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine. The other 40 patients received 2 mL of saline solution. Newborns were evaluated by means of Apgar score and umbilical cord blood gases.

RESULTS

There was a significant prolongation of analgesia in the tenoxicam group (365 +/- 91.1 minutes versus 305 +/- 53.2 minutes in control group, P < .001). Supplementary analgesic requirements were significantly decreased by intravenous tenoxicam (1.55 +/- 0.70 versus 2.25 +/- 0.68). Adverse side effects did not differ between groups and few complaints of phlebitis were noted. Apgar scores and blood gas analyses were similar in neonates from both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravenous tenoxicam is safe and slightly increases the length of postoperative analgesia provided by the local anesthetic. It is effective in decreasing analgesic consumption in cesarean delivery patients.