The effects of topical metronidazole on post-hemorrhoidectomy pain: a brief report

• Published in: Majallah-i Danishkadah-'i Pizishki 2012-01, Vol.69 (10), p.651-655
• Main Authors: Pourghassem J, Mahoori A, Akhbari P
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; per
• Subjects: Hemorrhoidectomy; pain; topical metronidazole
• ISSN: 1683-1764; 1735-7322

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal" mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0 mso-tstyle-colband-size:0 mso-style-noshow:yes mso-style-priority:99 mso-style-qformat:yes mso-style-parent:"" mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt mso-para-margin:0cm mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt mso-pagination:widow-orphan font-size:11.0pt font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif" mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman" mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin mso-bidi-font-family:Arial mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi} Background: Oral metronidazole has been previously demonstrated to decrease postoperative pain after open hemorrhoidectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical metronidazole in reducing postoperative pain of hemorrhoidectomy.Methods : In this double-blind, clinical trial forty 20- to 40-year old male patients were scheduled for hemorrhoidectomy under spinal anesthesia at the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia, Iran from April to September 2010. The participants were assigned to receive topical metronidazole (n=20) or placebo (n=20). Pain intensity was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), the time of first narcotic request and morphine administrations were also recorded. Results : The VAS scores were lower in metronidazole than the control group but this difference was not statistically significant, except after 24 hr post-surgically. Morphine administration in the first 24 hr was lower in the metronidazole group (P