Is celecoxib a useful adjunct in the treatment of post-tonsillectomy pain in the adult population? A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

What is it about?

Tonsillectomy – one of the commonest elective surgical procedure in the world. Post-tonsillectomy pain can be severe and impacts on the patients oral intake and returning to their normal activities of daily life. Most patients are given opioids (Endone®, Panadeine Forte®, Tramadol) for pain control – has side effects such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, respiratory depression, sedation. NSAIDs have been used in the past but concern for potential risk of bleeding has caused some clinicians to use newer selective NSAIDs. Newer selective NSAIDs, such as COX-2 inhibitors, celecoxib(Celebrex®) have reported equivalent analgesic properties with less side effects such as platelet dysfunction and gastrointestinal bleeding. Could this be the wonder drug we have been searching all these while for post-tonsillectomy patients?

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