Scheduled Intravenous Acetaminophen for Postoperative Management of Patients Who Had Thoracoscopic Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of scheduled intravenous acetaminophen for postoperative management of patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

The records of 56 consecutive patients who underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position for esophageal cancer were reviewed. For postoperative pain control, twenty-eight patients underwent the scheduled intravenous acetaminophen (SIVA group), whereas the other 28 were managed with intravenous flurbiprofen (Control group). The perioperative outcomes of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

The incidence of pneumonia and the total numerical rating scale of postoperative pain level were significantly lower in the SIVA group than in the Control group (3.6% vs. 25.0%; p=0.022, 40 vs. 93; p=0.027). Patients' fever on the third day after surgery in the SIVA group was significantly lower than in the Control group (36.9°C vs. 37.2°C; p=0.029). However, the incidence of anastomotic leakage, laryngeal nerve palsy, the changes of postoperative C-reactive protein level, and the duration of hospital stay were not different between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Scheduled intravenous acetaminophen after thoracoscopic esophagectomy in patients with esophageal cancer was a useful strategy in reducing the incidence of postoperative pneumonia.