Effects of patients sex on postoperative analgesic use for shoulder surgery

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Aim. Postoperative pain is a major problem in patients who have undergone surgery of the shoulder joint. We retrospectively evaluated 26 patients in whom a subacromial catheter had been placed for postoperative pain management following shoulder surgery. Method. Infusion of local anesthetics and/or opioids through a subacromial catheter, placed at the end of the procedure, was started after surgery. This catheter was kept in place for 24 hours. The patients’ pain was evaluated by using a visual analog scale (VAS). Patients with a VAS score greater than 7 were given meperidine, 0.5 mg/kg i.v., those with a score of 5-7 received tenoxicam, 20 mg i.v., and patients who continued to have a score of 5 at the end of 30 minutes were given paracetamol, 1 g i.v. as an additional analgesic injection. Results. None of the patients had a need for meperidine after 24 hours of surveillance. Seven patients with a VAS score of 5-7 were given tenoxicam, while seven patients, all female, who had continuing pain, received paracetamol. Conclusion. A subacromial catheter, which does not cause adverse effects or complications, is easy to apply and allows effective analgesia, can be used with confidence in the postoperative pain management of patients undergoing shoulder surgery. The need for supplementary analgesia in women only is significant, indicating the role of the patient’s sex in pain perception.

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Subacromial infusion , gender , shoulder arthroscopy

Cumhuriyet Medical Journal

87

Cumhuriyet Medical Journal