Comparison of bupivacaine and ropivacaine on postoperative pain after tonsillectomy in paediatric patients.

Background: We aimed to compare the effects of peritonsillar bupivacaine and ropivacaine infiltration on pain after tonsillectomy in children.

Method: Sixty patients were randomly allocated to three groups: pertonsillar infiltration with bupivacaine (group B), ropivacaine (group R) and normal saline (group S). Pain scores with visual analogue scale (VAS) and sedation scores were assessed during postoperative 24h. Choice of additional analgesic was acetaminophen for all patients.

Results: VAS was significantly lower in groups B and R, during the first half hour, while it was lower in group B than those in groups R and S at postoperative second and sixth hours. Time to first analgesic treatment was significantly longer in groups B and R. Total acetaminophen consumption was lower in group B than those in group S. Sedation scores were higher in group B than in groups R and S until postoperative second hour but there were significant difference only at postoperative fifth minutes.

Conclusion: Peritonsillar bupivacaine infiltration is, however, insufficient to control postoperative pain, it is more effective than ropivacaine for reducing postoperative analgesic requirement.