Treatment of pain owing to acute ureteral obstruction with prostaglandin-synthetase inhibitor: a prospective randomized study.

Pain owing to acute ureteral obstruction seems to be related closely to tension in the walls of the renal pelvis. Renal prostaglandins are involved intimately in the events leading to the pain. A prostaglandin-synthetase inhibitor, diclofenac sodium, was used in the treatment of acute ureteral pain, and was compared to the traditional treatment of a combination of spasmolytic and narcotic drugs. Also, the need for overhydration as part of the management was tested. The 91 patients entered into the prospective randomized trial were divided into groups. Diclofenac sodium had a 90 per cent success rate in relieving pain at 30 minutes, and the combination of pethidine and hyoscine butyl bromide had a statistically higher success rate at 97.5 per cent (p equals 0.05). However, the latter therapy had a higher rate of side effects (p equals 0.01). There was no difference in the response between the groups in relation to whether they received intravenous fluids.