The
analgesic and
antipyretic efficacy of
propacetamol is identical to
paracetamol. Because the
propacetamol is
injectable and its side effects are uncommon and mild, it is the
drug commonly used in France for
postoperative pain relief. The aim of this prospective study was to compare the
analgesic efficacy of
propacetamol after breast surgery or
thyroidectomy when it was administered either systematically or on the patients demand. After informed consent, 119 patients having undergone breast surgery or
thyroidectomy, having received the same general anaesthesia and scheduled for receiving
propacetamol postoperatively, were included in the study. Two groups of patients were compared, those who received
propacetamol on demand (D Group) and those who received
propacetamol systematically (S Group). During the first 24 hours,
analgesia was evaluated on a visual analogical scale graded from 0 to 100 mm, at rest and during mobilization; the efficacy was also evaluated by the amount of additional
analgesic drug injected. Side effects were also compared between the 2 treatment groups. In the 2 groups, demographic data, type of anaesthesia and type of surgery were identical.
Postoperative pain relief and supplemental injection of
morphine were not statistically different between the 2 groups.
Propacetamol doses were statistically higher in the S group than in the D group (7.8 +/- 0.7 g and 3.9 +/- 2.3 g respectively, p < 0.05).
Pain during
propacetamol infusion was more frequent in the D group than in the S group (30% and 13% respectively, p < 0.05). No other adverse effects were observed during the study.
Propacetamol alone is sufficient for
pain relief after peripheral surgery; more than 90% of patients need no supplemental
analgesic, and adverse effects are rare.