Post-operative analgesia with diflunisal.

An open study was carried out in 196 consecutive patients who had undergone orthopaedic (103) or gynaecological (93) surgical procedures to assess the effectiveness and tolerability of a single dose of 500 mg diflunisal in the relief of postoperative pain. Diflunisal was given when patients first complained of pain, and pain severity before and at intervals up to 6 hours after the dose was assessed using a 10-point analogue scale. The results showed that diflunisal was both prompt and prolonged in its effect. No pain was reported after 1 hour in 138 (71%) of the 196 patients, and after 6 hours only 13 (7%) still reported some pain. Diflunisal was equally as effective in the two groups. Side-effects were reported in 13 (7%) patients but these were ones commonly found in the post-operative situation.