A comparison of intramuscular tenoxicam with intramuscular morphine for pain relief following tonsillectomy in children

A double blind trial was conducted to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of intramuscular tenoxicam for pain relief following tonsillectomy in children. Fifty children, aged 3-10 years, were randomly allocated to receive intramuscular tenoxicam 0.75 mg.kg(-1) or intramuscular morphine sulphate 0.2 mg.kg(-1) after induction of anaesthesia. Although the tenoxicam group required significantly more postoperative morphine (mean 57.8 mu g.kg(-1) compared with 26.9 mu g.kg(-1), P = 0.025), the total morphine dose was significantly reduced after tenoxicam (57.8 mu g.kg(-1) compared with 226.9 mu g.kg(-1) P<0.0001). There was no difference between the quality of analgesia after discharge from recovery. The incidence of postoperative vomiting was significantly reduced after tenoxicam (20%) compared with morphine (71%).