Preemptive analgesic efficacy of dexketoprofen trometamol on impacted third molar surgery.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the pre-emptive analgesic efficacy of intravenous (IV) dexketoprofen trometamol (DT) and placebo, following impacted mandibular third molar surgery. METHODS Twenty patients over 18 year old who needed bilateral lower third molar extractions were included in this prospective, randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients whom had taken DT 50 mg of before their one extraction, took placebo before their other extraction which had been performed on the opposite side. A total of 40 observations were made. Pain scores were evaluated with a Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) after surgery. Moreover; the time to first analgesic requirement use, additional analgesic need of patients, patient and doctor satisfaction, side effects were also determined. RESULTS During the first 12 hours, the VRS values in DT group were significantly lower than those of placebo group patients (p<0.05). In placebo group, the time to first analgesic requirement use was significantly earlier than that of patients in DT group (p<0.05). Additional analgesic need of placebo group were significantly greater, when compared with the analgesic need of DT group patients (p<0.05). Among the DT group patients, patient and physician satisfaction was greater, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Preemptive use of IV DT is more effective than placebo for using as preemptive analgesia for acute postoperative pain control in patients underwent removal of an impacted mandibular third molar surgery.