Postoperative Analgesia following Cesarean Section: Intravenous Paracetamol vs Pethidine

Abstract

Effective analgesia is important after cesarean section. Intravenous paracetamol has been internationally accepted as a part of multimodal approach to pain management in post operative period. The purpose of the study was to compare the efficacy of intravenous paracetamol with pethidine in postoperative pain management in cesarean section. One hundred and eight patients undergoing cesarean section were studied over six months. The patients were divided into two equal groups. Group I received 900mg / 100 ml of intravenous paracetamol at the end of surgery and every 6 hrs for 24 hrs and group II received intramuscular 50 mg pethidine every 8 hours. Intramuscular Diclofenac sodium 75 mg was used as a rescue drug to both the groups. Visual analogue score was used to assess the pain level at 6, 12 and 24 hours postoperatively. The postoperative pain scores in both the groups were comparable. There was no significant difference in the consumption of additive analgesics. On the basis of current study we can reasonably recommend intravenous paracetamol in the postoperative pain management after cesarean section as it maintains a sustained and safe analgesic as it does not have side effects.