PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Manal A. Bukhari
AU  - Abdulmalik S. Al-Saied
TI  - Evaluation of the effect of Bupivacaine (Marcaine) in reducing early post tonsillectomy pain
DP  - 2012 Nov 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 1201--1204
VI  - 33
IP  - 11
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/33/11/1201.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/33/11/1201.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2012 Nov 01; 33
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of bupivacaine as topically applied in reducing post tonsillectomy pain within the first 24 hours.METHODS: This prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, intra-individual, single-blind study was conducted at the Otolaryngology Department, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from October 2009 until March 2010. Thirty-five patients underwent cold knife tonsillectomy. One tonsillar fossa was packed with gauze soaked in plain 0.25% bupivacaine, while the other tonsillar fossa was packed with gauze soaked in normal saline (the control side). Both gauzes were applied for 5 minutes. The patients' pain was evaluated on each side using the visual analog scale at 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours post-operatively.RESULTS: The reduction in pain at 2 and 4 hours was statistically insignificant compared with the control side. However, at 6, 12, and 24 hours post operatively, the reduction of pain was statistically significant.CONCLUSION: Topical application of bupivacaine at a 0.25% concentration appears to a considerable degree of analgesia within the first 24 hours post tonsillectomy.