Intra-articular analgesia following arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2001 Jul-Aug;5(4):143-6.

Abstract

Shoulder surgery is very often followed by severe postoperative pain. Loco-regional anaesthesia has greatly contributed as a solution of this problem. Nevertheless most of surgery is still performed under general anaesthesia. In this case many different methods have been proposed in order to mitigate postoperative pain. Intra-articular administration of local anaesthetics after shoulder surgery is not yet in routinely clinical practice. In this study efficacy of intra-articular administration of Ropivacaine versus Bupivacaine has been evaluated. Analysis of results showed both drugs to share the same effectiveness within four hours postoperatively. In subsequent period (6-24 hours) Ropivacaine demonstrated to provide a statistically significant better postoperative pain relief. Furthermore Ropivacaine group patients needed postoperative analgesics to a lesser extent than Bupivacaine group. The long-losting satisfactory level of analgesia, particularly with Ropivacaine, could recommend the use of intra-articular analgesia even for day-hospital or one-day surgery procedures.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Amides / administration & dosage*
  • Amides / therapeutic use*
  • Anesthetics, Local / administration & dosage*
  • Anesthetics, Local / therapeutic use*
  • Arthroscopy*
  • Bupivacaine / administration & dosage*
  • Bupivacaine / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intra-Articular
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain Measurement
  • Pain, Postoperative / drug therapy*
  • Ropivacaine
  • Shoulder / surgery*

Substances

  • Amides
  • Anesthetics, Local
  • Ropivacaine
  • Bupivacaine