The efficacy and safety of transnasal butorphanol for postoperative pain control following lower laparoscopic surgery.

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transnasal butorphanol for postoperative analgesia in adult female patients undergoing lower laparoscopic surgery.

Methods: Fifty-six women undergoing lower laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia were enrolled in the study. They were randomly divided into 2 groups (n = 28 each). Postoperatively, group 1 received transnasal butorphanol 2 mg, whereas group 2 received transnasal placebo. During a 6-h post-treatment period, we collected the following data: scores of visual analogue pain scale, demand and delivery of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine, vital signs, nausea, vomiting, and somnolence.

Results: Transnasal butorphanol clearly proved to have analgesic effect when compared with placebo as revealed by diminishment of visual analogue scale scores at 30 min (P = 0.043), less consumption of PCA morphine at 30-60 min (P = 0.002), and less demand of PCA morphine at 30-60 min (P = 0.001) and 60-180 min (P = 0.031). All patients displayed stable vital signs. The side effects between groups were not significantly different.

Conclusions: In contrast with placebo transnasal butorphanol was effective in the treatment of postoperative pain in female patients undergoing lower laparoscopic surgery. It had minimum side effects.