In this study, patients were presented with a questionnaire-based survey about the consumption of
analgesics and
pain ratings up to the third postoperative day following elective
hallux valgus surgery. The aim was to study the consumption of
analgesics and to look for factors influencing the need for rescue
analgesia. All patients were provided with take-home oral medication, with
etoricoxib 120 mg once daily,
paracetamol 1 to 4 g daily, and
dextropropoxyphene 100 mg provided as add-on rescue
analgesics in a stepwise fashion. Thirty-five of the 102 patients responding (response rate 91%) did not take any further
analgesics during the entire 4-day follow-up period than the recommended
coxib, 67 patients took at least 1
tablet of rescue
analgesic, 41 took only
paracetamol, and 26 patients (25%) took
paracetamol plus at least 1
dextropropoxyphene. There was a significant association between the subjective experience of
pain and consumption of
analgesics. Female gender and low age were significantly associated with the consumption of
analgesics. A stepwise approach based on
etoricoxib,
paracetamol, and a small number of
opioid tablets seems to be a rational approach for take-home medication following a standardized
hallux valgus surgery. Female gender and lower age comprise a group that warrants special atten group that warrants special attention.