• I M Crighton, G J Hobbs, and I J Wrench.
• University Department of Anaesthesia, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK.
• Anaesthesia. 1997 Jul 1; 52 (7): 649-52.

AbstractIn a prospective, double-blind trial we compared the analgesic efficacy of tramadol during the first 24 h after day case laparoscopic sterilisation with two commonly prescribed combination analgesics. Seventy-five women were allocated randomly to receive oral paracetamol 325 mg/dextropropoxyphene hydrochloride 32.5 mg, tramadol 50 mg or paracetamol 500 mg/codeine phosphate 30 mg as required after a standardised anaesthetic technique. There were no significant differences in average or worst pain, sleep disturbance, mobility, number of tablets taken, satisfaction or preference for stronger analgesia (26.2% of all patients). The incidences of nausea and vomiting were comparable between groups. There was a trend towards a lower incidence of central nervous system side-effects (drowsiness, dizziness, headache) in the paracetamol/codeine group. Tramadol may be considered an alternative analgesic for day case surgery although analgesic regimens of greater efficacy are required for many patients. The relative incidence of side-effects for tramadol and other analgesics requires further evaluation.

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