Celecoxib effective in pain management after arthroscopy surgery

China: Celecoxib administered at the dosage of 200 mg or 400 mg before the arthroscopy surgery decreases postoperative pain intensity of arthroscopy, finds a recent study published in the journal Medicine.

Arthroscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint, has been widely used for the treatment of knee and hip diseases. The procedure, although associated with less morbidity compared with open procedures, many patients still encounter moderate to severe pain. The postoperative pain, if not managed properly, can lead to delayed recovery, prolonged hospital stays, a greater consumption of healthcare resources and poor outcomes.

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The efficacy of celecoxib, the selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor, versus placebo for pain management of arthroscopy has not been well established. Ruijie Wan, Department of Orthopaedics, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, China, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess if celecoxib before the surgery decreases postoperative pain intensity of arthroscopy.

For the purpose, the researchers searched online databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the effect of celecoxib versus placebo on pain control of arthroscopy. Five RCTs are included in the meta-analysis. Celecoxib is administered at 200 mg or 400 mg dosage before the surgery.

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The researchers found that overall, compared with control group for arthroscopy, preemptive celecoxib has remarkably positive impact on pain scores at 2 to 6 hours (standard mean difference (SMD) = −0.66) and 24 hours after the surgery (SMD = −1.26), analgesic consumption (SMD = −2.73), as well as the decrease in adverse events (risk ratio (RR) = 0.56), but shows no obvious effect on first time for analgesic requirement (SMD = 0.02), nausea, or vomiting (RR = 0.70).

The bottom line of the study is --> Celecoxib administered at 200 mg or 400 mg dosage before the surgery decreases postoperative pain intensity of arthroscopy.

The study, "The efficacy of celecoxib for pain management of arthroscopy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials," is published in the journal Medicine.

DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000017808