Review: Continuous Infusion NSAIDs for Peri-Op Pain

Continuous infusion of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) serve as an alternative option for perioperative pain management, a review published in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice has found. 

A team of pharmacists conducted a literature search in PubMed and MEDLINE from 1964 through February 2016 for prospective and retrospective, adult and pediatric studies that evaluated intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) continuous infusion NSAIDs for surgical pain. The search returned 24 prospective and retrospective studies evaluating continuous infusion NSAIDs in abdominal surgery (n=12), orthopedic surgery (n=7), and pediatric surgery (n=5). 

The NSAIDs studied included diclofenac, indomethacin, ketoprofen, and ketorolac. Most studies compared continuous infusion NSAID vs. placebo or an alternate analgesic. Study outcomes included pain control, supplemental opioid use, and related adverse effects. For the surgical patient groups, continuous infusion NSAIDs reduced opioid consumption and provided adequate pain control. Data on long-term adverse effects were not frequently collected but a decrease in nausea and sedation was typically seen with patients in the continuous infusion NSAIDs groups. 

Study authors concluded that continuous infusion NSAIDs pose a reasonable treatment modality for perioperative pain management in abdominal, orthopedic, and pediatric surgical patient groups. 

For more information visit jpp.sagepub.com.