THE EFFECTS OF INTRAVENOUS PARACETAMOL ON THE QUALITY OF POSTOPERATIVE ANALGESIA IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING INGUINAL HERNIA REPAIR UNDER SUBARACHNOID BLOCK: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL

Abstract

Spinal anaesthesia is safe and effective method of anaesthetic practice for infra umbilical surgeries. Commonly used drugs to alleviate postoperative pain after surgery include opioid, nonsteroidal anti-inammatory drugs (NSAIDS), and paracetamol. The purpose of this prospective randomized double-blind clinical study is to assess the effect of intravenous paracetamol on duration of post operative analgesia, when administered intra operatively after subarachnoid block, using hyperbaric bupivacaine. After obtaining approval of the institutional ethical committee and written informed consent from the patients, a prospective randomized double blind study was undertaken with 98 ASA I-II patients, aged between 18 to 60 years, scheduled for elective inguinal hernia surgeries under spinal anaesthesia. In our study the time to rst request for postoperative analgesic was signicantly prolonged in group P (163.98 ± 16.86 mins) as compared to group C (134.59 ± 16.45mins) (p<0.001). Total number of rescue analgesic doses in 24 hours was signicantly lower in group P (2.47±0.54) compared to group C (3.39±0.97) (p<0.001). Mean VAS score in rst 24 hours was signicantly lower in group P (1.42±0.145) compared to group C (1.82± 0.11) (p<0.001). We concluded that 1 gm intravenous paracetamol is safe and effective method of providing postoperative analgesia for rst 24 hours, in patients undergoing infra umbilical surgeries under spinal anaesthesia.