Dextromethorphan for the reduction of immediate and late postoperative pain and morphine consumption in orthopedic oncology patients: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

Background: Postoperative pain is mediated centrally by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. The beneficial effects of preincision oral dextromethorphan (DM), which is an NMDA antagonist, on postoperative pain and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) morphine (MO) consumption have been examined in patients undergoing surgery. The authors investigated 75 patients who underwent surgery for bone and soft tissue malignancies, in whom postoperative pain is more severe compared with patients who undergo general surgery.