The British journal of oral & maxillofacial surgery
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Mar 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialPostoperative analgesia in orthognathic surgery patients: diclofenac sodium or paracetamol?
Our aim was to compare the analgesic affects of paracetamol and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac sodium for the relief of postoperative pain in patients having bimaxillary osteotomy. Thirty patients were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 15 in each) using sealed envelopes. The first group was given paracetamol 1g intravenously and the second diclofenac sodium 75 mg intramuscularly. ⋯ The intensity of postoperative pain was recorded on a visual analogue scale (VAS), and postoperative requests for analgesia, haemodynamic variables (systolic blood pressure and heart rate), and complications were compared. The groups were comparable. A single dose of diclofenac or paracetamol effectively decreases the intensity of postoperative pain after bimaxillary osteotomy.