23 August 2021

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Effectiveness of tramadol after oral surgery

Alessandra Abbà

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The surgical extraction of the third molar includes rising a flap, ostectomy and suturing. These procedures could cause swelling, trismus and moderate to severe pain. In oral surgery pain control is a key factor for reducing fear and anxiety in patients. Painmanagement is usually based on different analgesic medications. Tramadol is a centrally acting weak opioid analgesic clinically effective in treating moderate to moderately severe pain.  tramadol is an atypical opioid and when administered locally, it has both analgesic and anesthetic properties.

 This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of submucosal application of tramadol against acute postoperative facial pain, following the extraction of impacted third molar.

Materials and methods
60 patients underwent impacted third molar surgery under local anaesthesia and then were randomly divided into two groups according to a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study design.

-group T: received submucosally 1 mg/kg tramadol
-group S: received submucosally 2-mL saline 

 Pain after extraction was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively.

 

Results
Group S registered VAS scores significantly higher compared to group T at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 12 h after molar extraction, but no significant differences at 24 and 48 h (p > 0.05). As regard the first analgesic dose taken, group T swallowed it significantly later compared to the control group (p = 0.0001). There were no significant differences between the two groups in side-effects (nausea, vomiting, burning, and dizziness).

 

Conclusion
 In modern time, all procedures in oral surgery should be painless and management of postoperative pain needs to be adequate. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of submucosal application of tramadol in reducing acute post-operative facial pain after third molar surgery.

 

For additional info: Effect of submucosal application of tramadol on postoperative pain after third molar surgery