Peroral tramadol premedication increases postoperative nausea and delays home-readiness in day-case knee arthroscopy patients

Scand J Surg. 2002;91(4):365-8. doi: 10.1177/145749690209100411.

Abstract

Background and aims: To evaluate the effect of preoperative oral tramadol on postoperative pain and its effect on the patient's home-readiness after diagnostic day-case knee arthroscopy performed under spinal anaesthesia.

Material and methods: We studied 156 outpatients in a prospective, randomized, double-blind fashion to examine the postoperative analgesic effect of preoperative oral slow-release tramadol. Postoperative pain was measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS). Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and the patients home-readiness were assessed.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the postoperative VAS scores between the tramadol and placebo groups, nor was there any significant difference in the need for postoperative pain medication. Patients in the tramadol group had higher incidence of PONV and they were discharged from hospital later than those given placebo although the tramadol patients required less intravenous midazolam for sedation.

Conclusions: Preoperatively given slow-release tramadol is ineffective for reduction of postoperative pain after day-case arthroscopy of the knee. Additionally, preoperative tramadol is associated with higher incidence of PONV and it seems to cause delay in the patient's home-readiness.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Ambulatory Surgical Procedures
  • Analgesics, Opioid / therapeutic use*
  • Arthroscopy
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Length of Stay
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain, Postoperative / prevention & control*
  • Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting* / chemically induced*
  • Premedication*
  • Tramadol / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Failure

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Tramadol