A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed to assess the analgesic efficacy of intramuscular nefopam hydrochloride after upper abdominal surgery. Patients received either 20 mg nefopam (n = 23) or matching placebo (n = 26), 90 min before surgery, immediately after surgery, and 6, 12 and 18 h after the end of surgery. The 24-h morphine requirements were measured using a patient-controlled analgesia system delivering on-demand intravenous bolus doses of morphine. Pain was assessed using visual analogue scales. Patients receiving nefopam had a mean (+/- s.e.m.) cumulative morphine consumption of 4.1 +/- 0.8 mg in the first hour, compared with 8.5 +/- 0.8 mg in the control group (P less than 0.01). After 24 h the consumptions were 44.1 +/- 7.2 mg and 62.5 +/- 6.9 mg respectively (P less than 0.05). The pain scores in both groups were similar. This study confirms that nefopam hydrochloride has significant analgesic effects and would be a useful supplement to morphine in the management of postoperative pain.

We have compared the renal effects of ketorolac trometamol 10 mg administered 4-hourly by intermittent i.m. injection or by continuous i.m. infusion with placebo in a double-blind study in 67 patients who had undergone upper abdominal surgery. Ketorolac was supplemented during the 48-h postoperative study period with bolus doses of morphine delivered by a patient controlled analgesia system. The only significant effect of ketorolac on renal function compared with patients who received placebo was reduced excretion of potassium. The overall changes caused by surgery alone were of much greater magnitude. Bleeding time was increased with ketorolac, but there were no adverse events related to this.

Objective-To establish whether positive suggestions given to a patient under general anaesthesia reduce postoperative pain and analgesic requirements.Design-Prospective double blind randomised study.Setting-Operating theatre and gynaecology ward of a teaching hospital.Patients-63 Woman undergoing elective abdominal hysterectomy were randomised to be played either a tape of positive suggestions or a blank tape during the operation through a personal stereo system.Interventions-Three women were withdrawn from the study. Anaesthesia was standardised for all of the women. Postoperative analgesia was provided through a patient controlled analgesia system for the first 24 hours. Pain scores were recorded every six hours.Main outcome measures -Morphine consumption over the first 24 hours after the operation; pain scores.Results-Mean morphine requirements were 51-0 mg (95% confidence interval 42-1 to 60-0 mg in the women played positive suggestions; and 65-7 mg (55-6 to 75-7 mg) in those played a blank tape. The point estimate (95% confidence interval) for the difference of means was 14-6 mg (22.4%) (1.9 (2.9%) to 27-3 mg (41.6%)) (p=0.028). Pain scores were similar in the two groups.Conclusion-Positive intraoperative suggestions seem to have a significant effect in reducing patients' morphine requirements in the early postoperative period.

The morphine sparing effect of ketorolac 10 mg administered 4-hourly by intermittent i.m. injection was compared with a continuous i.m. infusion in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery. During the 48-h postoperative period, each patient was provided with a patientcontrolled analgesia (PCA) system which delivered bolus doses of morphine and administered the intermittent i.m. doses automatically via a computer controlled pump. In the first 24 h after surgery, there was a significant reduction in morphine demanded by both groups receiving ketorolac compared with placebo. Patients who received a continuous infusion of ketorolac after abdominal surgery required a median dose of morphine by PCA which was 49% less than controls. In the second 24 h and over the entire 48 h of the study, patients in the continuous group required significantly less morphine than those in the placebo group. The intermittent group used less than the placebo group, but this was not significant.

The morphine sparing effect of ketorolac 10 mg administered 4-hourly by intermittent i.m. injection was compared with a continuous i.m. infusion in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery. During the 48-h postoperative period, each patient was provided with a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) system which delivered bolus doses of morphine and administered the intermittent i.m. doses automatically via a computer controlled pump. In the first 24 h after surgery, there was a significant reduction in morphine demanded by both groups receiving ketorolac compared with placebo. Patients who received a continuous infusion of ketorolac after abdominal surgery required a median dose of morphine by PCA which was 49% less than controls. In the second 24 h and over the entire 48 h of the study, patients in the continuous group required significantly less morphine than those in the placebo group. The intermittent group used less than the placebo group, but this was not significant.